Tijuana-based motorcycle club stole 150 Jeep Wranglers in California to sell or part out in Mexico.
Jeep Wrangler owners in Southern California can sleep easier tonight knowing that a major theft ring has been busted.
Authorities have indicted nine people — including seven U.S. citizens — in the Hooligans biker club. They’re charged with conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles in foreign commerce. Earlier this week, three men were arrested in connection with the theft ring, one of whom was already in state custody on other charges. The other six men are on the run in Mexico.
Over the past few years, the Hooligans, a Tijuana-based group, has stolen 150 Jeep Wranglers in San Diego County to either sell or part out in Mexico. Apparently, they’re popular south of the border, too — and easy to move there. In total, the group boosted a total of $4.5 million worth of Jeeps.
According to the Los Angeles Times: “Authorities said thieves exploited a design feature of the Jeep Wrangler, gained access to a proprietary database that contains codes used to create duplicate keys for each car, and then used a high-tech computer to get away with the cars.”
Specifically, they popped the hood and disabled the alarm. Then they used the key copy and an electronic device (more than likely plugged into the OBDII port) to drive the Jeeps away.
In the summer of 2014, law enforcement officials launched an investigation dubbed “Operation Last Ride” in response to a string of Jeep thefts across the U.S. The big break in the case came from a homeowner’s security system showing someone stealing their Jeep.
If you’re worried about your Wrangler getting stolen, authorities recommend you get lockable hood latches and an aftermarket fuel kill switch.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
