Drivers targeted in emerging crime trend have one thing in common
Three Texas men are facing charges for allegedly stripping the taillights off dozens of high-end Ford trucks, indicating a new trend of vehicle thefts that has owners on high alert.
Jimmy Dean Miller, Jaleel D. Fasion and Sergio Giovanni Sanfilippo are charged with engaging in organized criminal activity after police say the trio stole over $92,000 worth of taillights.
The ring operated between September 2024 and January 2025, targeting 34 victims, according to the Webster Police Department.
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Miller, Fasion and Sanfilippo traveled throughout the I-45 highway corridor between Houston and Galveston, according to authorities. Officers relied on surveillance to track the suspects as they entered high-traffic areas, ultimately establishing probable cause for the arrests.
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Most of the vehicles targeted by the three men were F-350s, according to police. The latest models of the trucks can cost more than $100,000.
"We found that taillights from luxury Ford vehicles were being stolen," Webster Police Chief Pete Bacon told Fox News Digital. "We believe the reason is that these taillights contain specific sensors, and these sensors are part of the entire [luxury] system and cost a lot of money."
Once thieves have access to the tailgate of a vehicle, they can remove the lights by simply unscrewing them from the truck, making off with the loot within a matter of seconds.
"If they have two or three guys working in conjunction, they can get these lights removed in under a minute," Bacon told Fox News Digital.
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Bacon believes that the taillights were being sold online to truck owners who are looking for replacements but may not want to pay retail price. The investigation revealed that the trio sold the stolen parts on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, with one victim possibly purchasing his own headlights back, police said.
Bacon encourages drivers to take precautions to protect their vehicles.
Drivers can purchase aftermarket tailgate locks or scratch a series of numbers into the inside of their taillights, making them identifiable if they are stolen, according to Bacon. Truck owners should consult their truck's dealership to ensure any security measures do not impact their warranty.
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Ford did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Court records indicate that the three men are facing criminal charges for the thefts. Fasion is charged but has been released from custody and Sanfilippo is currently out on bond.
A magistrate judge ruled that no probable cause was found in Miller's case, but prosecutors are planning to refile the charges through a grand jury, the district attorney's office told Fox News Digital.
The Webster Police Department worked with the Galveston County Auto Crimes Task Force, League City Police Department and Seabrook Police Department to apprehend the suspects.
Bacon warns that although this began as a regional issue, there is a likelihood of copycat criminals and truck owners should take precautions to protect their vehicles.
"Once a group of thieves figures out what kind of niche they're going after, then we'll probably have more," Bacon said. "There's going to be other rings out there targeting taillights. I don't think with these three arrests, that this problem is going to end."Original article source: Drivers targeted in emerging crime trend have one thing in common
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