FBI dismantles international car theft network with links to Ghana
via GhanaWeb2 min read
The Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI has announced the bust and indictment of an international car-theft syndicate with operations tied to Ghana. On April 22, 2026, the US Attorney鈥檚 Office for the District of Columbia confirmed the arrest of six individuals following a year-long investigation. The syndicate allegedly stole vehicles, primarily Honda Civics, CRVs, Acura TLXs, and RDXs, in the Washington metropolitan area and Pennsylvania. These vehicles were then sold within the United States or shipped to Ghana. Law enforcement is investigating the defendants in relation to the theft of over 100 vehicles in the District of Columbia and more than 30 in Prince George鈥檚 County, Maryland. A search warrant was executed at an automobile storage facility in Decatur, Georgia, suspected of being linked to the ring. The indictment charges Jacob Hernandez, Dustin Wetzel, James Young, Khobe David, and Chance Clark, with one additional defendant remaining at large. The conspirators allegedly used electronic devices to reprogram cars and disable GPS and Bluetooth capabilities to avoid detection. All six indicted individuals face charges of conspiracy to possess, sell, and transport stolen motor vehicles. The Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office for the District of Columbia鈥檚 Criminal Investigations Unit, and the FBI Washington Field Office are investigating the case.
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