The Clark County Sheriff’s Office says they’ve arrested five people involved in a muscle car theft ring that spanned several states.
The investigation took four months and 23 felony charges have been filed.
Detectives worked alongside the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, conducting a similar investigation into high-end stolen cars
They say the group would surveil and then burglarize local car dealerships with high-end cars like Dodge Hellcats and Chevy Corvettes.
Detectives say the group would also pay people to scout out privately owned muscle cars and then steal them to sell or strip them for parts.
Law enforcement recovered cars in Vancouver that were stolen as far south as San Francisco and as far north as Bellingham.
Detectives believe the ring started sometime in the summer of 2023.
In total, 11 cars were recovered, with an estimated value of about $700,000.
Detectives also recovered $42,000 in cash and nine guns.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office says they arrested 25-year-old Christopher Bensch, 42-year-old Tyler Lautenschlager, 34-year-old Luke Tangocci, 26-year-old Miguel Gonzales, and an underage male.