Two men have been apprehended in Houston by the Police after surveillance camera footage helped identify those responsible for stealing multiple Jeep and Dodge vehicles.
The two thieves used laptops to connect to the vehicle’ systems and enable starting the engine without using a key. The thefts were spread across multiple months, and Houston police representatives have stated that the pair would not have been apprehended so swiftly if victims did not have cameras pointed at their parking spots.
The thieves worked as a team, as one of them opened the hood of the targeted vehicles, and then enabled the other member to gain access to the car. Once inside, the thief would use a laptop that featured pirated software to connect to the vehicle’ systems and start the engine.
According to ABC 13, some of the thefts required as little as six minutes, but security footage has shown that the entire action took about 13 minutes. Houston Police Department representatives have stated that it would be nearly impossible to prevent this kind of high-tech crime if other thieves have access to the same pirated software as the pair seen in the video embedded below.
This is not the first time when surveillance footage is crucial in quickly identifying the suspects of criminal activity, and it goes to show what a small investment in home security can do for an individual. Unfortunately, not even the victims that did have cameras pointed at their driveways have managed to recover their cars.
According to Houston Police, most of the Jeep and Dodge vehicles that were stolen have ended up in Mexico, making their recovery even more complicated for authorities. However, by leaving the state of Texas, the two felons should have moved this case as an interest to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The number of Jeep and Dodge vehicles that have been stolen using this method has not been determined. Because suspects’ homes have been raided and revealed narcotics, firearms, and body armor, the two thieves might be part of a larger group, which could be focused on organized crime.
The thieves worked as a team, as one of them opened the hood of the targeted vehicles, and then enabled the other member to gain access to the car. Once inside, the thief would use a laptop that featured pirated software to connect to the vehicle’ systems and start the engine.
According to ABC 13, some of the thefts required as little as six minutes, but security footage has shown that the entire action took about 13 minutes. Houston Police Department representatives have stated that it would be nearly impossible to prevent this kind of high-tech crime if other thieves have access to the same pirated software as the pair seen in the video embedded below.
This is not the first time when surveillance footage is crucial in quickly identifying the suspects of criminal activity, and it goes to show what a small investment in home security can do for an individual. Unfortunately, not even the victims that did have cameras pointed at their driveways have managed to recover their cars.
According to Houston Police, most of the Jeep and Dodge vehicles that were stolen have ended up in Mexico, making their recovery even more complicated for authorities. However, by leaving the state of Texas, the two felons should have moved this case as an interest to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The number of Jeep and Dodge vehicles that have been stolen using this method has not been determined. Because suspects’ homes have been raided and revealed narcotics, firearms, and body armor, the two thieves might be part of a larger group, which could be focused on organized crime.