Police Charge 11 Men With Stealing 86 Vehicles In Ohio

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A group of 11 men have been charged with stealing 86 vehicles from 26 different car dealerships across Ohio in a spree that lasted five months.

An indictment unsealed by local prosecutors last week includes 142 counts and includes charges of racketeering, grand theft, felonious assault, aggravated robbery, and conspiracy. Some 90 of these charges have been leveled against 20-year-old Makilin Wilson who led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and was arrested in February.

Nine of the men are currently in custody, including Rasheed Rountree (19), Kyer Allen (19), Dahmere Lymon (19), Ty’aun Williams (20), Willie Hicks (22), Shaakir Maddox (21), Theon Avery (20), Laejuan Robinson (18), Cory Phillips (18), and Arthur Robinson (21). Warrants were issued to arrest the men after the indictment was filed under seal.

Prosecutors state that the group targeted vehicles including high-powered Dodge Durango, Challenger, and Jeep Grand Cherokee models. It is claimed that the young men visited the dealerships during the day to locate security cameras and key fobs before returning at night and fleeing with the vehicles. While the charges relate to 86 stolen vehicles, police believe the ground may have stolen 126 cars in total. More than $1.5 million worth of cars were stolen in Cuyahoga County while the group stole more than $1.1 million worth of vehicles in Summit County.

Read: Thieves Make Off With Corvette, Challenger, And Tahoe From North Carolina Dealer

In one incident, 20-year-old Ty’aun Williams and 18-year-old Cory Phillips held the gatekeeper at gunpoint at an Avis car rental lot at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport before stealing a Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ford Expedition. Some of the stolen vehicles were sold, including a Mercedes-Benz that was sold in Michigan for $4,500, while many of the vehicles were found ditched on the street.

Police were able to catch the men after finding DNA evidence from broken glass. Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer says authorities also used information from phones and social media.