Four guilty in theft, shipping trial

Four guilty in theft, shipping trial Four Miami-Dade County men have been found guilty in a complicated case in which they were accused of operating a massive South Florida car theft operation in which stolen cars and parts were shipped to the Dominican Republic.
   Four of the eight defendants in the trial in State Circuit Court in Fort Lauderdale were found guilty on charges of racketeering, operating a 'chop shop,' and dealing in stolen property. Two defendants were acquitted of racketing charges but found guilty on charges of receiving stolen property, and two defendants were not convicted on any charges.
   According to a report in the South Florida Sun Sentinel, law enforcement authorities believed the car theft ring was involved in some 2,000 auto thefts in South Florida, as well as Monroe County and New York City, over a three-year period. Some of the vehicles were used for parts, while in other cases the ring created 'twin' cars by putting counterfeit vehicle identification numbers that matched similar vehicles that had not been stolen.
   Sentencing for the guilty defendants has been set for December. The defendants convicted on racketeering charges face up to 30 years on prison.