Just minutes before a stolen Chevrolet Tahoe was about to cross the B&M International Bridge in Brownsville, Brownsville police stopped the vehicle, and one person was detained Wednesday morning.
The 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe was purchased in October and had been reported stolen out of Harris County either late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, said Investigator Martin Sandoval, spokesman for the Brownsville Police Department.
The vehicle was recovered at about 9:15 a.m. at a convenience store located on Sam Perl Boulevard, which leads straight to the B&M bridge.
“More than likely they are going to charge him with theft by possession,” Sandoval said, adding the charge could be upgraded if the detained man cooperates.
Authorities believe the alleged thief is linked to an auto theft group operating in the Rio Grande Valley.
“It was the same MO (modus operandi). The person had a copy of the key and this is a 2022…a brand new car,” Sandoval said.
The Tahoe was equipped with an OnStar security-emergency system that alerted authorities the vehicle had been stolen and was in the Brownsville area, Sandoval said.
“OnStar called the Brownsville Police Department advising them that the vehicle was in Brownsville and at that point our emergency communications called the Brownsville South Texas Auto Theft Taskforce and told them what at happened,” Sandoval said.
Members of the task force got the department’s patrol division involved and asked them to be on the lookout for the stolen Tahoe.
“Just right before it (the Tahoe) crossed into Mexico, patrol officers located it and stopped it,” Sandoval said.
The key found in the man’s possession is similar to the ones police have confiscated from suspects arrested in recent auto thefts in the Valley.
“Unfortunately, like we have seen it’s a sophisticated group, and they use technology. The days of breaking your lock and steering column or hot wiring you cars, those days are gone now,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval said the best way to prevent your vehicle from being stolen is to make sure it has some type of anti-theft device on it.
“Our biggest recommendation is The Club…it’s an old school device but it works,” he said.
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