This is how it worked: An individual would contact the group and request a specific vehicle -- usually of the high-end variety -- to purchase. The group would then locate and steal that particular vehicle. The car thieves then searched online databases to find a matching car in another state.
Police say the purpose was to get the vehicle's VIN number, which is readily available online. Once they had the VIN, the information was sent to another party in Mexico, where another crew produced counterfeit VIN plates and labels, as well as phony title documents.
The forged plates and paperwork were then sent to the United States and placed on the stolen vehicle. The stolen car was sold to the buyer with a whole new identity -- belonging to a car in another state.
Police say the stolen cars were often bought and sold several times, even ending up on eBay, Craigslist, and at other car dealerships. According to FBI Special Agent in Charge Steve Ibison, "This case alone has uncovered estimated losses of more than $27 million."
Operation's Alleged Mastermind Flees Before Court Appearance. Federal agents say Pablo Barrio, a former auto mechanic and convicted car thief, was the operation's main leader. And agents say Barrio and his gang weren't just cloning cars: anything with a unique identifier was fair game, including credit cards, debit cards, and personal identities.
On March 24, 2009, federal agents took down 15 of the 17 members indicted for what agents describe as one of the largest auto theft rings in the United States. According to FBI Special Agent in Charge Steve Ibison, "This case alone has uncovered estimated losses of more than $27 million."
But on the morning of April 16, 2009, Barrio's ankle monitor was turned off so that he could attend a mandatory court hearing, and Barrio never showed up (HOW STUPID ).
Police say Barrio took off, and may have fled to Mexico. Investigators say he could also be hiding in Florida, Texas, or Chicago. Barrio is facing life in prison if convicted of all charges.
Pablo Barrio Wanted For:
Interstate transportation of stolen vehicles , Tampa , FL ; Mar 23, 2009
Removing VIN , Tampa , FL ; Mar 23, 2009
Conspiracy - crimes relating to stolen and cloned vehicles , Tampa , FL ; Mar 23, 2009
Mail fraud , Tampa , FL ; Mar 23, 2009
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud , Tampa , FL ; Mar 23, 2009
Aggravated identity theft , Tampa , FL ; Mar 23, 2009
Access device fraud over $1000 in one year , Tampa , FL ; Mar 23, 2009
Failure to appear ; Apr 28, 2009
(Information valid as of May 21, 2009)
AMW Radio: »June 02 2009
Tampa, Florida—PABLO BARRIO, 54, was placed on house arrest (LOL what a joke) on April 16, 2009 and escaped during the morning of April 28, 2009 from his residence and is now a federal fugitive.
On March 24, 2009, BARRIO was arrested by federal authorities. BARRIO was the key subject of OPERATION DUAL IDENTITY, a joint investigation involving a major car-cloning scheme. This joint investigative effort was one of the largest auto theft cases in the United States.
Investigators suspected BARRIO may be headed for Mexico. He had access to a 2004 dark blue Chevrolet Tahoe, Florida license plate 936-IIL. BARRIO has family members residing in High Springs, Florida; he previously lived in Chicago, Illinois; and has connections throughout the state of Florida; Houston, Texas, and has family members in Cuba.
Some used car dealers (Tampa and VIN cloning Sarasota Fl) who bought the cloned cars for less than they were worth are complicit in the scam, FBI officials said. Certain Tampa used car dealers have been involved in a car scam shipping stolen cars to Dubai for resale at 2 to 3 times the retail value that could be obtained in the USA, sweet deal !
The ring was based in Tampa but operated in Miami, Chicago and as far away as Mexico City, authorities said. It stole about 1,000 vehicles, less than half of which were recovered, before catching the attention of investigators in 2006. The losses amount to more than $25 million, agents say.
PABLO BARRIO is described as follows:
Race: White Male (Hispanic)Height: 5 feet 8 inches Weight: 170 pounds (Medium Build) Hair: Black w/ Gray… Eyes: Brown..Date of Birth: January 15, 1955
Anyone with information on BARRIO’s current whereabouts is asked to call the Tampa FBI Field Office at 1-866-838-1153 (toll free) or their local authorities.
Bill Warner Director of CSPI..Covert Surveillance by Private Investigators at WBI Inc.