Crime & Safety

Lakewood Investigators Help Bust Intricate Stolen Vehicle Crime Ring

Five suspects have been arrested in an undercover auto theft investigation conducted by the Auto Crime Enforcement Task Force. Several newer model vehicles have been recovered during the investigation with an estimated value of $200,000.

Several newer model vehicles worth about $200,000, including a Ford F-150 crew cab and 2011 Lincoln Navigator, have been recovered as police cracked a highly lucrative vehicle theft crime ring, according to Lakewood Police Lt. Chris Lawler.

A complex investigation by members of the Auto Crime Enforcement Task Force in Pierce County led authorities to two of the alleged criminals in a sting operation. Undercover officers posed as prospective buyers during delivery of one such stolen vehicle at the Tacoma Mall recently, Lawler said.

The investigation revealed that suspects were working together in a complex scheme that involved stealing new-model vehicles from auto dealers as far north as Vancouver, B.C., to Burlington on Interstate 5.

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The leader of the purported auto theft ring, Qualagine A. Hudson of Tukwila, was arrested along with Christopher D. Porter of Kent during the bust at the mall. They were booked into Pierce County jail on multiple felony charges, police reported, adding that Hudson has been charged with leading organized crime and was out on parole at the time of his arrest.

Additional suspects have been arrested in the case, including Sheila Ann Severson of Tukwila, Kevin Trotter of Kent and Daniel K. Bailey of Edgewood, who was also on active parole when arrested, police said.

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The auto theft ring was a sophisticated vehicle theft scam. It preyed on buyers using the Internet to disguise the crime. After stealing the vehicles, the suspects utilized specialized skills by switching the vehicle identification numbers found on the dash and other places with cloned VIN numbers from real vehicles for sale in Canada, Lawler said.

After that, they forged Washington Department of Licensing paperwork in order to sell the stolen cars to unwitting victims. Police said the sales were usually advertised on the Internet using websites such as Craig’s List that aided them in avoiding detection.

ACE is a specialized unit hosted by the Lakewood Police Department and is composed of detectives and investigators from the Puyallup Police Department, Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department and Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office. The Task Force is funded by the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority in Olympia and assisted by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

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