Car Theft Ring Busted After Stealing Over $4.6 Million in Vehicles

By Y.M. Lowy

A large car theft ring based in Queens has been broken up after a three-year investigation by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, the NYPD, and New York State Police. 

The case, called “Operation Hellcat,” led to charges against 20 people accused of stealing cars across New York City including at least 25 from our area, Kings County.

According to prosecutors, many of the cars were taken right from driveways, sometimes with keys left inside. The stolen vehicles were then sold through ads on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

In total, the group is believed to have stolen over $4.6 million worth of vehicles. 

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