Car Theft Ring Targeting Orange County Latinos, Authorities Warn

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Law enforcement agencies in Orange County are warning residents of a car theft ring targeting the Latino community through social media ads.

The car theft ring has targeted more than 50 people in Orange County since July 2021, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Spanish-language ads posted by the theft ring on social media sites would claim to look for drivers to help transport "exorbitant sums of money." The ad would ask potential drivers to transport the money using their own vehicles, the district attorney's office said.

A theft ring member would then take the driver's car, claiming they need to pick up the money for a different location first, authorities said. The driver would be left on the street with the car and the theft ring member gone.

Authorities believe Latinos are being targeted because they would be hesitant to call the police for help.

"Members of the Latino community are being specifically targeted by these thieves in the hopes that they are too afraid to come forward out of fear that they too may be implicated in a criminal enterprise or have deportation issues," District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement.

"Many people have to rely on a single vehicle for transportation for their entire family to go to work and school, and having that vehicle stolen is devastating."

Anyone with information on the theft ring can contact their local police department. Anonymous tips can be sent to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227.