By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
These vehicles are believed to have been stolen in the United States and sold in Jamaica by persons involved in an international car-stealing ring which is being investigated by the Jamaican authorities and agencies in the United States. - Norman Grindley /Staff Photographer
THE JAMAICAN authorities, with assistance from several United States law enforcement agencies, are moving to recover more than 530 motor vehicles which were stolen in the United States then sent here and sold, many to unsuspecting customers.
According to Robert Farr of the Financial Investigations Division (FID), of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, apart from motor vehicles, a large number of powerful motorcycles which were reported stolen in the United States, have been sent to the island illegally also.
"Right now we are focusing on 130 of these vehicles that we have already identified. They arrived here within the past three years," Mr. Farr told The Gleaner on Monday.
Of the number of stolen vehicles identified, the FID said it had seized 17 since the start of the year. The high-price vehicles include such pick-up trucks as Cadillac Escalades, Toyota Tundras, and Toyota Tacomas. Eight of the vehicles which reports indicate arrived in the island as "vehicle parts", and were later fitted up, were seized last week.
Stating that the police were involved in the investigation also, Deputy Commissioner Lucius Thomas who is in charge of Crime, said that some innocent people may have purchased the vehicles, not knowing that they had been stolen in the United States.
The Gleaner understands that one person who bought one of the vehicles for $5 million, is now awaiting the outcome of the investigations to determine if he will be given back his pick-up truck.
According to Det. Deputy Supt. Cornwall Ford of the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID), two Toyota Tundra pick-up trucks have been seized from a prominent entertainer, while a Cadillac Escalade was taken from a relative of a former Jamaican Prime Minister.
A SMALL GANG
The FID said the investigations were pointing to a small gang which operates in New York and Miami. Reports are that vehicles are stolen in the United States then sent to Jamaica within days and then buyers are found for them.
The FID and OCID have called on the National Insurance Crime Bureau in the United States to assist with the investigations from that end.
"What we have done is to ask (local insurance) companies to contact the local owners of the vehicles and take them to us," Mr. Farr said.
