A LUXURY car stash worth millions has been discovered in a parking garage that doubled as a shadowy “dealership” for stolen vehicles.
After officials found 72 high-end cars, including a $475,000 Rolls-Royce, they stumbled upon massive boxes revealing the garage’s criminal truth.
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The hidden lot was exposed after officials tracked suspicious shipping containers at ports in New Jersey and New York.
The cars, stolen from homes across the Garden State, were being quietly sold out of the garage in Longwood, Bronx, approximately ten miles from Manhattan.
Prospective buyers would inspect the cars on-site and drive off after paying in cash, according to prosecutors.
If the vehicles weren’t sold in New York, officials say they were packed into containers and shipped to countries including Ghana and Gambia.
Investigators uncovered the scheme during a nine-month probe dubbed “Operation High Rollers.”
Eleven people have now been charged in connection with the heist, facing over 130 criminal counts.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said the suspects weren’t just stealing cars; they were breaking into homes to get the key fobs.
“Breaking into homes to steal key fobs to facilitate stealing vehicles adds a new layer of danger to car theft,” Platkin said in a statement.
“While car thefts in New Jersey have decreased significantly over the past year and have continued to decrease in 2025, we are committed to reducing them further,” said Platkin.
Bronx district attorney Darcel D. Clark confirmed that the group stole 72 vehicles valued at around $6.6 million.
Platkin said 43 of those were taken from New Jersey alone, worth about $3.6 million.
The ring targeted luxury brands, including BMW, Audi, and Rolls-Royce.
How to prevent vehicle theft
Here are 10 ways to avoid your car being stolen according to an auto insurance company:
- Lock your doors. It makes it more difficult for thieves to access anything inside the vehicle.
- Keep your keys on your person. With smart keys and fobs, a car can be unlocked if the key is close by. If the key is inside or on your person, it can’t be unlocked.
- Don’t leave a spare key near the vehicle, as thieves know to look for them in common places like in a wheel well, under items in the driveway, or in the glovebox.
- Keep windows closed. If a window is open, thieves can manually unlock the doors.
- Park in well-lit areas, as it helps detour thieves if their actions are visible to passersby.
- If your vehicle doesn’t have one, consider an anti-theft alarm system.
- If you live in a high-crime area, consider an immobilizer device that utilizes a kill switch if the device doesn’t recognize an authorized key.
- Consider a tracking device to be able to keep tabs on your vehicle’s location if it’s stolen.
- Never leave valuables in the car, especially in a visible spot. Thieves know to look in the floor boards, passenger, or rear seats for valuables.
- Double-check before leaving the vehicle that it’s secure.
- To protect wheels and tires, especially aftermarket wheels, consider wheel lock lug nuts. They require a special socket to remove, so they’re impossible to remove without it.
Source: Allstate Auto Insurance
One of the standout vehicles was a 2024 BMW X5 valued at $89,000.
Several BMW X7s were also recovered, along with a 2021 Audi SQ8.
Each defendant is looking at first-degree racketeering charges, which carry up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
It is also subject to the No Early Release Act.
Other charges include residential burglary, vehicle theft, fencing, and conspiracy.
The garage in Longwood served as a display area for the stolen rides, where shady deals went down in broad daylight.
Authorities say the unsold cars were funneled to shipping ports in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Staten Island.
The Bronx District Attorney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
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