Authorities from France and Italy have arrested five suspects during an international operation targeting the manufacture of technical devices that can unlock luxury cars using decoded keys.
French law enforcement authorities launched an investigation after receiving numerous reports of stolen high-end cars from a specific brand. Officers quickly found out that the criminals responsible for these thefts were using reprogrammed speakers.
As the investigation continued, police officers discovered that the crooks also produced tools for unlocking luxurious cars from other car manufacturers. These devices were shipped to 17 European countries, as well as to other countries worldwide.
The investigation showed that the suspect from France was working with someone from Italy. The latter was known for his technical expertise and played a major role in the scheme. Therefore, Italian law enforcement authorities also launched an investigation into the matter.
The lead suspect, who has been building the devices since 2022, was able to do this by using unsuspecting accomplices to obtain original car keys, supposedly for decoding purposes. To test his devices, the suspect traveled worldwide to see if high-end vehicles would unlock.
The main suspect willingly sold his tools to known car thieves worldwide through encrypted messaging services. He sold them for prices ranging from €3,000 to €50,000.
To take down this international network of car thieves, French and Italian authorities went to Eurojust for legal support and coordination.
During the international operation, five suspects were arrested in France. In addition, authorities seized six vehicles, luxury goods, over €100,000 in cash, and devices designed for stealing cars with an estimated value of one million euros.
In Italy, police officers discovered a manufacturing site with advanced equipment to design and produce the devices. At a separate business site, authorities found packages that were ready to be shipped.
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