Texas law enforcement has issued a warning to Ford F-series truck owners after disbanding an organized crime ring targeting popular vehicle models.
Three Texan men face charges of allegedly stripping taillights from dozens of high-end Ford trucks, indicating a new trend in vehicle theft, where owners are highly vigilant.
Jimmy Dean Miller, Jarell D. Fajong and Sergio Giovanni Sanfilippo are accused of engaging in organized criminal acts after police say they stole taillights worth more than $92,000 It's there.
According to the Webster Police Department, the ring was run between September 2024 and January 2025 and targets 34 casualties.
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From left, Sergio Giovanni Sanfilippo, Jimmy Dean Miller and Jayrell D. Fajong engage in organized criminal acts after dozens of Ford trucks targeted theft of taillights across Texas. He is accused of doing so. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Webster Police Station, Getty Images)
Authorities say Miller, Fashion and Sanfilippo traveled through the corridors of the I-45 highway between Houston and Galveston. Officers relied on surveillance to track suspects as they entered heavy traffic areas and ultimately establish possible causes of arrest.
Police say most of the vehicles targeted by the three men were F-350s. The latest model of the truck costs over $100,000.
“We found out that the taillights from a luxury Ford vehicle were stolen,” Webster Police Chief Pete Bacon told Fox News Digital. “We believe these taillights contain certain sensors and that is because these sensors are part of the whole. [luxury] It costs a system and costs. ”
Once the burglar has access to the vehicle's tailgate, the light can be removed by simply removing it from the truck, and within seconds it will be accompanied by the loot.
“If two or three guys are working together, these lights can be removed within a minute,” Bacon told Fox News Digital.
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A Ford F-150 pickup truck at a dealership in Colma, California on July 22, 2022. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Bacon believes the taillights are being sold online to truck owners who are looking for replacements but don't want to pay the retail price. The investigation revealed that the trio sold stolen parts on sites like this. Facebook market, One victim could potentially buy their own headlights, police said.
Bacon encourages drivers to take precautions to protect their vehicles.
According to Bacon, drivers can purchase aftermarket tailgate locks and scratch a series of numbers inside the taillights. Truck owners should consult with the truck dealer to ensure that security measures do not affect the warranty.
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Ford logo on the truck at the Detroit Auto Show held at Huntington Place on January 10th, 2025. (Bill Pagliano/Getty Images)
Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Fox News Digital.
Court records show that three men face criminal charges of theft. Fashion is billed but released from custody and Sanfilippo is currently in bonds.
The magistrate determined that no possible cause was found in Miller's case, but the prosecutor plans to refill the charges through a large ju trial, the District Attorney's Office told Fox News Digital.
The Webster Police Department has worked with the Galveston County Auto Crime Task Force, League City Police Department and Seabrook Police Department to arrest the suspects.
The Ford F-350 is a common target for burglars, police said. (Ford)
Bacon warns that this began as a local issue, but that copycat criminals and truck owners could take precautions to protect their vehicles.
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“If a group of thieves understand what niche they're driving away, they probably have more niches,” Bacon said. “There will be other rings out there that target taillights, and I don't think these three arrests will end this issue.. ”
