LEAGUE CITY – The League City Police Department announced an arrest of three individuals in connection with a series of vehicle thefts believed to be part of a larger, organized auto theft ring. The arrests follow a multi-agency investigation that remains ongoing.

The case began on March 21, when a Chevy Suburban was reported stolen from the 3000 block of South Gulf Freeway. The vehicle, owned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, was last seen at Firestone Complete Auto Care. At the time, no suspect information was available.

During the investigation, detectives with the League City Criminal Investigations Division discovered that Enterprise had more than 40 active stolen vehicle cases statewide, primarily involving Chevy and GMC SUVs. The combined value of the missing vehicles is estimated to exceed $2 million.

With the assistance of Enterprise’s investigative team, League City detectives began to explore the possibility of a larger auto theft operation. The investigation ultimately led to the identification of two suspected stolen vehicle processing locations — one in Brazoria County and the other in Fort Bend County.

On April 17, detectives from LCPD, along with members of the Gulf Coast Auto Crimes Task Force, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Task Force, Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arcola Police Department, executed coordinated search warrants at both sites.

The operation resulted in the arrest of three suspects and the recovery of four stolen vehicles. Among them was the Suburban originally reported stolen in League City. Two of the other vehicles were reported stolen in the Houston area, and one had been taken from Tennessee.

The names of the suspects have not yet been released. The League City Police Department said the investigation is still ongoing, and additional arrests are possible. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Evans at 281-554-1863.

Police officials also extended thanks to Enterprise representatives, the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office, and the various law enforcement agencies that assisted in the investigation.

Photo credit: Creative Commons