Man Charged In Elaborate Southington Car Theft Scheme: Police

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A New York prison inmate was charged this week in Southington for his role in an elaborate car theft scheme utilizing Facebook Marketplace and phony car documents.

According to the Southington Police Department on Tuesday, Juan Medina, 41, of the Bronx, N.Y., was charged as a fugitive from justice, second-degree arceny, second-degree forgery, second-degree telephone fraud, ciminal imersonation, canging a motor vehicle's VIN number, altering/forging/counterfeiting a vehicle title, sale of a motor vehicle without a proper VIN number, and misuse of registration.

He is being held on $375,000 bond, police said.

Police said an investigation began Dec. 23, 2022, regarding a stolen motor vehicle in which the victim reported they purchased a 2019 Toyota Highlander from an individual they initially met through Facebook Marketplace that morning.

Following a brief exchange of communications through Facebook Messenger and cell phone text messages, the victim met with the suspect and provided him a large sum of cash in exchange for the vehicle.

The male suspect provided the victim what was ultimately determined to be a fraudulent driver’s license, fraudulent motor vehicle title, and additionally provided only one ignition key to the victim.

The victim was advised by the suspect the second ignition key would be sent to him in the mail immediately following the transaction.

Once the victim returned to their residence and parked the vehicle in the driveway, the suspects returned and stole the vehicle from the driveway.

"Several search warrants were applied for and executed by the investigating officer who worked on this case diligently over the course of several months," wrote the SPD.

"In addition, support was provided from members of Southington Police Department’s Detective Bureau and Special Investigative Department of Police Services Unit, several local police agencies, police agencies out of both New York and New Jersey, and Special Agents with the National Insurance Crime Bureau."

The vehicle in question was later recovered in January 2023 at the Wethersfield Department of Motor Vehicles Office, where another victim had attempted to register the vehicle after purchase.

Police said it was learned the vehicle possessed altered VIN tags and was actually a stolen motor vehicle out of New York.

In early 2023, probable cause was developed to secure an arrest warrant through New Britain Superior Court, charging Medina for his direct involvement.

It was later learned Medina was incarcerated by the New York Department of Corrections for unrelated crimes.

On Monday, June 23, pending Medina’s release from New York, he was transported to Southington police headquarters.

There, he was processed, charged accordingly, held on bond, and transported to New Britain Superior Court the following day for arraignment.