Facebook Marketplace car theft ring ends in dozens of charges for 2 women, Gwinnett police say
The investigation began in December 2024 when a Gwinnett County resident took his recently purchased Honda CR-V for routine service.
'The technician happened to notice something was off with the VIN number of the vehicle and alerted the customer,' said Cpl. Juan Madiedo with Gwinnett County police.
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Police set up an undercover purchase with the alleged seller, leading to the arrest of Mayreny Ciprian, who now faces 40 criminal charges. She was found inside another stolen CR-V with an altered VIN in December, police said.
'Little did she know she was actually meeting with detectives that day, but she was taken into custody without any incident,' Madiedo said.
Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson learned the investigation expanded Monday with the arrest of 30-year-old Karen Mendez, who faces 19 felony charges for allegedly selling stolen vehicles with forged titles.
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Victims often lose both their money and their vehicle when police identify stolen cars.
Fredy Juarez lost $10,000 in a similar scheme last year.
'Not everybody is to be trusted,' Juarez warned at the time. 'If you don't put a stop to this, these people will mess up somebody else.'
Police believe additional suspects and victims are still out there. They urge anyone who purchased a Honda CR-V through Facebook Marketplace to have their vehicle inspected.
'If there's anything off on the VIN number, if you take a good look at it, please call us,' Madiedo said.
Police recommend using designated e-commerce zones at police stations for online purchases, where officers can help verify vehicle information.
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