From 2021 to 2023, a North Carolina-based theft ring orchestrated the theft of over 100 luxury vehicles valued at $11.5 million. Federal authorities have sentenced four men involved in the operation, bringing an end to one of the most prolific car theft schemes in recent memory.
The thieves—Dewanne White of South Carolina, along with Kevin Fields, Reginald Hill, and Garyka Bost of North Carolina—used elaborate methods to target high-end dealerships across multiple states, including Florida, Ohio, New York, and Arizona. According to the Department of Justice, their stolen loot included vehicles from prestigious brands such as Bentley, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, and Porsche, alongside high-end models from Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford.
The ring employed various techniques to carry out their crimes. In some cases, members posed as potential buyers during test drives, swapping key fobs with dummies to return later and drive off with the vehicle. Other times, they broke into dealerships to access key storage areas and make off with multiple cars in a single night. Once stolen, GPS tracking systems were promptly removed, and the vehicles were transported to North Carolina, where they were sold well below market value.
Authorities credit a multi-state task force and the Charlotte Police Department with dismantling the operation. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered 132 vehicles valued at $11.5 million.
Last week, the four men were sentenced in federal court. White, deemed the ringleader, received the harshest sentence of 108 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Fields, Hill, and Bost also received prison sentences and supervised release for their roles in the conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles.
Elizabeth Puckett