Dallas police dismantled an auto theft ring Thursday, recovering nine stolen vehicles and arresting two teenagers during coordinated raids across North Texas.
The operation targeted a sophisticated scheme where suspects stole cars from multiple cities, swapped their identification numbers, and stripped them for parts.
Officers executed search warrants at three locations on August 28. The Dallas Police Auto Theft Salvage Squad, Southwest and South Central CRT Units, and North Texas Auto Theft Task Force raided a house in the 2700 block of Kenesaw Drive in Dallas, as well as two sites in Barry, Texas.
Four stolen vehicles were recovered in Dallas. Three more turned up in Barry, reported stolen from Dallas, De Soto, and Lewisville.
Investigators also seized two additional vehicles with obscured vehicle identification numbers for further examination. The cars’ VINs had been tampered with to hide their origins.
Police arrested Bernado Bustos, 19, and Santos Bustos, 19. Both face charges of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, a first-degree felony, and Theft of Property between $30,000 and $150,000, a third-degree felony.
“Auto theft is not a victimless crime, and this investigation had victims in several jurisdictions,” said Major Christopher Jaquez, General Investigations Division commander. “By partnering with the North Texas Auto Theft Task Force, we can take down criminals who operate in multiple cities.”
The investigation continues under case number 123876-2025.