DFW Airport Suffers $5M In Car Thefts At The Hands Of Organized Crime Ring

Texas authorities has worked with DFW to apprehend three suspects in the car thefts, including the group's ring leader.

An international car theft ring has reportedly stolen almost $5 million worth of vehicles from the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport in Texas. According to a new search warrant obtained by NBC 5 on Jan. 1, the group’s leader was arrested last month for the nationwide conspiracy.

DFW Airport Police experienced a rise in car thefts over the past year, and officials believed at the time that it was indicative of an organized crime ring at work. Investigators said, “[We] do believe there is an element of crime rings behind many of the thefts.”

NBC 5 reported that Tarrant County authorities and the DFW Airport Police had officially identified a nationwide crime group stealing vehicles from the airport after apprehending its alleged leader. Texas police had been tracking this ring out of Houston since February of last year.

The warrant stated, “Approximately 14 suspects have been identified…the suspects in this group have stolen approximately 52 cars from DFW, for a total loss of $4.9 million.”

The thefts mainly occurred when cars were left at DFW Airport garages while the owners were traveling.

So far, three suspects have been arrested In the crime ring, including one member who investigators believe to be the leader.

The search warrant identified the ring leader as “Yoel Hernandez-Frometa [who] uses Autel devices to reprogram key fobs so he can steal vehicles.”

The organized crime ring has been active across other Texas airports and New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada.

The car thieves would obtain the cars from airport garages, change their “Vehicle Identification Numbers,” illegally retitle them, sell them, and often take them across the border to Mexico.

In a new statement, spokespersons for the DFW airport announced, “Investigators with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety remain in close contact with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt organized crime rings targeting airport parking facilities throughout the country. Due to the work of DFW Airport Police, the airport has seen a more than 40% reduction in car thefts from the terminal areas so far this year compared with 2023.”