Alert: $5M in Vehicles Vanish from Airport During Holiday Rush, Report Reveals!

A criminal syndicate with at least 14 individuals across the country is accused of pilfering nearly $5 million worth of automobiles from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport between 2023 and November 2024, according to a search warrant acquired by local media.

“About 14 suspects have been pinpointed…the individuals in this organization have reportedly stolen around 52 vehicles from DFW, amounting to a total loss of $4.9 million,” officials remarked in the affidavit received by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.

The DFW Airport informed Fox News Digital in a report that “airport police have recently executed significant arrests that have dismantled organized crime rings and markedly diminished reported vehicle thefts at DFW.”

“In 2023, there were a total of 142 vehicle thefts documented in the terminal zones at DFW. By November 2024, only 60 cars were reported stolen, yielding a nearly 58% reduction year-over-year,” stated a DFW Airport spokesperson. “Law enforcement generally observes thieves focusing on high-end muscle cars and luxury SUVs. As has been extensively reported, automobile theft remains a regrettable national concern that airports and other public venues throughout the nation are grappling with.”

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Passengers await security screening at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expected to screen 40 million travelers this holiday season. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

The incidence of automobile thefts over the past year at DFW remains slight in comparison to the 3.4 million vehicles that are parked at the airport annually, as noted by the DFW spokesperson.

“In my experience as a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, I’ve observed that organized theft rings employ many of the same strategies as transnational crime syndicates or terrorist groups,” Eric Brown, founder and CEO of Imperio Consulting and a 24-year Green Beret veteran and security authority, conveyed to Fox News Digital. “They seek out easy targets, honing in on lax security protocols and predictable habits. It’s critical for travelers to ensure their vehicle does not become a vulnerable target.”

“Choose a well-lit area for parking, secure your doors, eliminate valuables or keep them out of view, and verify that any alarm or tracking system is activated.”

— Eric Brown

The syndicate has reportedly focused on airports throughout the western United States, including Texas, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada.

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A traveler carries a cat in a carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg)

Alleged ringleader Yoel Hernandez-Frometa, 37, employed “Autel devices,” which are automotive diagnostic instruments, “to reprogram key fobs so he can steal vehicles,” the affidavit stated, according to NBC 5.

Gene Petrino, co-owner of Survival Response LLC and a retired SWAT chief, informed Fox News Digital that it is common for organized theft groups to utilize Autel tools “to reprogram key fobs and circumvent modern security systems.” They often aim for “vehicles depending on their market demand or resale value,” he explained.

“These devices, intended for legitimate locksmiths and mechanics, can be misappropriated to duplicate or reset vehicle keys,” Petrino remarked.

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Hernandez-Frometa along with two others, including 30-year-old Jose Alejandro Pavon-Estopian and 29-year-old Vainer Pinollotoro, were apprehended in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July on charges of possessing a stolen vehicle, evading law enforcement, failing to comply with police commands, and possessing burglary instruments.

The trio was reportedly caught peering into vehicles at the Salt Lake City airport, and when law enforcement pursued them attempting a traffic stop, they fled.

Travelers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipated screening 40 million passengers this holiday season. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

Authorities eventually tracked down and apprehended the suspects with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies. During their inquiry, they retrieved one of the suspects’ backpacks, which was “stuffed with blank car key fobs.”

Law enforcement also discovered keycards to a nearby motel and obtained a search warrant for that location. With support from the Salt Lake City Police Department’s SWAT team clearing out the suspects’ quarters, officers “uncovered more evidence of a coordinated vehicle theft operation,” which included a “laptop, additional hardware designed for transmitting electronic signals, and a tool used to program key fobs found inside the stolen vehicle that the suspects abandoned,” police reported at the time.

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The Salt Lake City Police Department indicated that the three men had no connections to the area.

An Iberia Airlines aircraft flies over the parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport. (iStock)

It remains uncertain whether any of the other 11 suspects linked to the theft ring have been captured.

“These organizations typically delegate responsibilities among various teams. One group surveys parking facilities, identifying high-value cars and relaying that information to the thieves. Another group handles counterfeit documentation and coordinates storage or resale. This structure allows them to remain agile and hard to trace,” Brown elucidated.

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Petrino similarly stated that members of a theft syndicate “have specialized roles: some are tasked with scouting, others manage the technical aspects of reprogramming, while additional members handle transportation and sale of stolen automobiles.”

They also function “across various jurisdictions,” Petrino explained, “rendering them more challenging to monitor and prosecute.”

Aerial perspective of vehicles in a parking area on Aug. 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. ( Qian Weizhong/VCG via)

Given that these organized theft rings operate across state lines, enhanced coordination is necessary among law enforcement agencies to track down offenders, he added. Furthermore, police departments “frequently lack the resources necessary for extensive, multi-state inquiries, particularly if the thefts are part of a larger criminal operation,” Petrino emphasized.

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Brown likewise conveyed that to effectively combat these theft rings, much like addressing larger threats, local, state, and federal authorities must collaborate.

“This cooperation helps piece together all the elements and interrupt the entire theft operation. It’s a challenging endeavor, but through continuous teamwork and resource sharing, law enforcement can diminish the power of these rings and safeguard travelers,” the former Green Beret stated.

The investigation is ongoing. The FBI’s Dallas Field Office is aware of the theft ring and is providing assistance to DFW Airport Police with their inquiry, the Bureau disclosed to Fox News Digital.