According to investigators, the crew canvassed cars and affixed GPS devices to them. They would later track and steal the vehicle via unlocked doors or keys recovered from locations in New York City, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and from Nassau, Rockland, Putnam and Orange Counties.
LINK: VIEW PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE CARS
Authorities charged 18 people for their roles in the ring that resold 48 stolen luxury cars worth $2.4 million.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced the charges Wednesday following an 18-month investigation by police and other investigators. He said the suspects stole expensive models such as a $196,000 Bentley convertible and a $105,000 Mercedes Benz.
He said the suspects stole the cars, changed the vehicle identification numbers, registered them with forged titles and used brokers to resell the stolen rides.
Brown said they're charged with enterprise corruption, grand larceny, forgery and other crimes. Three others also face drug charges.
The more than 300 stolen cars include 51 Mercedes, 24 BMWs, 23 Range Rovers, 18 Jeep Grand Cherokees and a dozen Porsches.
Along with the vehicles, police recovered millions of dollars' worth of cocaine, which the DETF is additionally investigating.
