By Wendy Anders

After a two-year investigation, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigative Agency (OIJ) had enough evidence yesterday to make arrests in San Antonio de Coronado, San José of at least 11 individuals connected with a supposed car theft ring.

The group, which OIJ Director Walter Espinoza described in a live press statement today, was found by investigators to be dedicated to stealing primarily high-end, diesel, 4×4 vehicles to resell in Limón, Costa Rica and in Panama to set clients.

The thefts were carried out without using violence mainly in San Pedro, San José, and also in Moravia and Tibás and other nearby locales, according to the OIJ investigation.

This particular group, a very well-structured and professional group, planned its thefts so as to avoid any violence or confrontation, only stealing from open parking areas and the street, and never entering private property or holding people up in order to lift the vehicles.

The leader of the group, a 23-year-old man by the last name of Vargas Cabalceta, a locksmith from Coronado who has a prior record of theft and assault, directed the operations based on vehicles in demand from pre-established clients in Panama and Limón, Costa Rica. Vargas provided the group with a tool to remove the lock from the car door, and fashioned keys to start these luxury vehicles.

The other group members were all young and also from Coronado. All were unemployed, and were described by Espinoza as long-time buddies.

The group targeted vehicles parked near bars and restaurants, taking advantage of the cars being left alone for periods of time, and also utilizing information from guards and other contacts in the targeted areas. Once the group was clear on the type of vehicle to focus on, the time needed to actually steal the cars was from 3-10 minutes, said Espinoza.

An estimated nearly 4,000 vehicles, including motorcycles, automobiles, pick-ups, SUVs, etc., were stolen in Costa Rica last year.

Seven other members of the group, including one female, remained to be captured in the operation; almost all ring members have prior police records, said Espinoza.

During the bust, police also found different types of illegal drugs and cash, and suspect that the ring was also involved in drug trafficking.

Over the course of the past two years, police observed 32 vehicle thefts by the group, 24 of which they were able to recover. The other stolen cars once sold to clients were then used normally without any changes made to the cars, and escaped the notice of transit police during traffic stops, said the OIJ.

Since Friday, the group had stolen two motorcycles, indicating they had begun to diversify their operation to include luxury and racing motorcycles.

Because of the detailed nature of the investigation, Espinoza said he is confident there is sufficient evidence to arraign all the suspects who will remain in custody until the case advances.