Car thieves use keys to steal expensive cars

Police hope surveillance video identifies crooks

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Police need your help tracking down three car thieves with expensive taste after they stole three cars off a dealership's lot early Wednesday.

"At 4:15 in the morning, it's unusual to be getting into cars and taking them out," said Michael Ligosh, witness.

Ligosh called 911 after he noticed a dark figure getting into a car at his friend's dealership, Park Ave Motors.

"I noticed some brake lights on in the parking lot, so I turned around and came back to shine the lights on the lot and one of the vehicles was pulling out," he said.

"We called the owner of the business and quickly discovered that it looked like somebody had made entry through a side window of the business and then stolen keys to a few cars on the lot," Lt. Shane Riggle said.

The cars stolen were all expensive European brands, including two Audis that police have since recovered.

One of them was the car Ligosh spotted traveling down U.S. 1.

"Edgewater police picked up that car on a traffic stop but it fled from their traffic stop and ended up crashing somewhere in Oak Hill," Riggle said.

A gold Volkswagen that belongs to a customer was also stolen. It's still nowhere to be found. Police believe the group is connected to other car dealership thefts throughout town, in Daytona Beach and even in Brevard County.

"The build, the gloves and the particular way that some of these guys are moving on camera. They could be any number of groups but we do have a couple that we're looking at closely," Riggle said.

Police hope surveillance video will help track down the car crooks and they praise the vigilant driver for coming forward.

"Without that, we wouldn't have recovered that first car, because we wouldn't have gotten that BOLO (be on the lookout alert) out. Now, we have latent prints and other items of evidence. Again, a citizen drove by and took enough time to think that, 'You know, that looks suspicious,.I'll go ahead and call police,'" Riggle said.

Park Ave Motors officials declined to comment on camera but told News 6 that they're working with law enforcement officers.


About the Author:

Loren Korn is a native Texan who joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2014. She was born and raised in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Journalism.