Fort Lauderdale Police Investigate Motorcycle Theft Ring

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) – A ring of motorcycle thieves are caught on camera, pulling off another in a string of pricey heists.

Ray Ward had his motorcycle stolen. Surveillance video shows when the crooks nabbed his expensive bike from his Fort Lauderdale apartment complex. And as luck would have – he just paid it off.

“If whoever stole was able to spend a week with me and see what happens to someone after you steal their vehicle, what you go thru, they’d probably have a change of heart,” said Ward, “unless they were just purely wicked!”

Ward used that bike to get to school and work. Now – police figure it’s long gone – possibly ripped into pieces, put into a barrel and shipped to Jamaica for re-sale, or broken down for parts of sold locally.

“It’s easy for these criminals to come in, remove the motorcycle, throw it in the back of a pickup truck or a van and drive off,” said Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Travis Mandell.

It happens fast. It took less than a minute for crooks to grab Ward’s motorcycle and leave. Police tell us this is going on all over South Florida. They’ve seen a pattern, right around the time a motorcycle is stolen, so is a van.

Ward was lucky, at least he had family and friends who helped him buy a new motorcycle. But for a bike lover like him, he says his ride is like a family member. Now he’s hoping someone will recognize these guys, and that may not be too difficult, the camera certainly got a good shot of both of them. “What comes around goes around and if that’s the type of person you are, it’s going to come back to get you,” said Ward.

One of the crooks has a distinctive look; he has long dreadlocks that he tucks into the back of his shirt. Police are hoping someone will recognize him.

If you have information that can help investigators find these guys give Broward Crime Stoppers a call at 954-493-TIPS.

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