East Windsor Car Theft Leads To Cracking High-End Auto Burglary Operation

EAST WINDSOR, NJ — On Friday, eleven people were charged for their involvement in an auto theft ring that targeted high-end vehicles in multiple New Jersey counties, including in East Windsor, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said.

The investigation revealed that on December 30, 2024, thieves broke into an East Windsor residence where they stole a 2024 BMW X7 valued at approximately $52,150 and a 2021 Audi SQ8 valued at approximately $52,360, Platkin said.

The suspects also took personal items, including a Gucci purse, a Gucci wallet, a Valentino wallet, $400 in cash, a driver's license, and a New Jersey Firearms ID card.

According to charging documents, surveillance footage captured three suspects entering the occupied home. Phone records placed defendant Jahquil Louis near the East Windsor burglary location and later near a parking garage in the Bronx, where the theft ring allegedly stored stolen vehicles.

The stolen BMW X7 was later recovered on February 25, 2025, from a shipping container at the Port of Elizabeth that was destined for Ghana.

The enterprise allegedly targeted high-end vehicles including Land Rovers, Mercedes Benzes, and BMWs from Morris, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, and Burlington counties (see map below).

The group would break into homes to steal key fobs, then transport the vehicles to parking garages in the Bronx before shipping them to West African countries.

"This case is about more than just the theft of vehicles, it is about stealing people's sense of security and safety," said Attorney General Platkin. "No one should be afraid that a thief will enter their home while they are sleeping to find their key fobs to steal their car, as is alleged in this case."

Investigators identified 43 stolen New Jersey vehicles valued at approximately $3.65 million in two Bronx parking garages. The total value of stolen vehicles linked to specific residential burglaries committed by theft crews in this enterprise was approximately $542,295.

All 11 people are charged with first-degree racketeering, which carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison if convicted.

The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies, including the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, New York Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and local police departments, including East Windsor Police.

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