Inside an auto theft sting

A warehouse is being converted into a major fencing operation. 

The Houston Police Department allowed us to install hidden cameras and watch officers buy stolen cars and other contraband. 

Lt. Victor Rodriguez, who heads the operation, told us the kind of people they’d be dealing with.

Lt. Rodriguez: They have partying to pay for and drug habits to pay for.  And they do it by victimizing people like you and me.

He hopes to get stolen cars back to the owners and put a dent in Houston’s auto theft rate—by taking down the thieves.

Here’s the plan: Undercover policemen will pose as fences who buy cars and other stolen goods to ship out of the country. It’s vital the operation remain secret—if any of the crooks grow suspicious, the cops could get themselves killed.

There’s a lot at stake not just for the police—but for one man, an informant who’s going to help lure criminals to the warehouse.

We’ve disguised the undercover cops who are running the operation. They told us about the informant.

Tio, undercover police: He said he wanted to get out of the gang life—wanted to cooperate with us so that maybe he might be able to find a way out of that group...to clean up his life.

Their informant has a long rap sheet, a drug habit and a violent lifestyle. He says where and how he grew up made him what he is today.

Informant: I never did have a choice.

Victoria Corderi:  You didn’t feel like you had a choice?

Informant:   No.

Corderi: To not be a gang-banger.

Informant:  It’s just I grew up in this. There’s no way out of this right now.

The cops have worked out a deal to pay him cash for the information he provides. That could be his way out of criminal life—but he also knows he’s playing with fire.

On this night—he’s not very optimistic.

Corderi: You think it could cost you your life?

Informant:  It is gonna cost me my life.

Using him also could be risky for the cops—

Corderi: So, how did you go about deciding he was someone you could trust?

Tio: We never really could figure out whether or not we be able to trust him but we were certainly gonna check up on him and try to figure out what his intentions were.

So far, he’s provided them with reliable information, so they decide to use him. Within days, the garage is rigged and ready.

The informant’s job is to get the word out about the new fencing operation in town. On the streets, he vouches for the fencing operation.

But will his fellow car thieves take the bait? 

FOR MORE INFORMATION List: Cars most often stolen Don't make it easy for car thieves: Some tips

Apparently they did. They find out there are crooks ready to do business. And it’s show time.

The team of cops gathers in a nearby parking lot to review plans. One night, they were meeting with thieves—and the undercover informant will be with them. 

We’re expecting three crooks tonight to come with one spy.

The undercover cop playing the role of ringleader calls the informant to finalize details. The lieutenant and seven of his men fan out in the neighborhood around the warehouse. Another team sets up in the surveillance room, armed and ready to move in if there’s trouble.

In fact, everything is in place: except for the car thieves. They’re an hour and a half late.

Then—suddenly—here they come and the meeting is on. 

Police are surprised when several cars arrive—and seven suspects and the informant pile out... they were expecting three.  If something goes wrong, the cops inside are outnumbered.

The thieves with the stolen cars seem guarded, wary. And the cops say pulses are racing…

Tio: The tension in there the very first night is horrible. Could probably slice it with a knife. Everybody’s watching everybody. They look like a bunch of thugs!

The undercover cops posing as fences break that tension by getting down to business. They start negotiating. 

Undercover police man: Who’s the Honda? Yours? How much you want?

The thieves want to unload two vehicles.

Undercover police: Come on in here and let’s take care of business.

The fence pays the men $400 for the Honda and $400 for the truck.

It’s a nerve-wracking start—the undercover cops inside were outnumbered and they didn’t know if the thieves would buy their cover story.  But they did—the cops seems to have passed the test. The first meeting is over.

Corderi: Who seems most dangerous to you as you’re meeting them? 

Tio: They all look so suspicious. They could do anything.

Corderi:  Do you get nervous?

Tio: Oh, sure.  Everybody gets nervous, especially in a situation like that. But you know we try employ our skills—we’re trained, most of the time everything goes well. 

Still, they say they’re feeling confident they are on their way to gaining the thieves’ trust. 

And they expect business to pick up.

Tio: I figured these guys are gonna get back to their hoods, they gonna tell some of their boys, and the word’s gonna get out.

Reuben, undercover police: Network it around.  Spread the word. That’s what happens.

Within days it becomes clear there’s plenty of interest on the street. Remember "Big George"?  He shows up with three stolen cars for sale. Sometimes, though, the negotiations get testy.

On another night these men bring in a late model car—and want a thousand dollars more than the fence is willing to pay. One of the thieves seems agitated.

"Smokey": You can’t give us at least a “g”?

Undercover police: That’s seven. 

Sensing trouble other undercover cops file into the office to provide backup in case things get violent.

The fence pretends to be annoyed, role-playing so he doesn’t appear too eager and arouse suspicion.

Undercover police: How much I give you - did I just give you eight? Man that’s all I can give you all.

"Smokey": You can’t just give us like another 100?

Tio: I just gave you another 100. 

The thieves leave the room to confer, then come back and reluctantly agree to the sale.

But not every night is so difficult. A lighter mood prevails when this man—who calls himself “Whiteboy”—brags about how easy it was to steal the expensive car he brought in.

Undercover police: Look like you got dealership keys!

"Whiteboy": Hahaha.

It seems Whiteboy’s day job has benefits, he installs electronic equipment - and that gives him easy access to car keys of unsuspecting home-owners.

Undercover police:  Where’d you get this key?

"Whiteboy": At that house.

Undercover police: Really? Were you in there putting a TV in there too?

"Whiteboy": I do. I do A.C. work, I do custom installation for plasma’s.

Undercover police: What year model is it?

"Whiteboy": 2006! 

Undercover police: 06?

"Whiteboy": Infiniti - QX.

He justifies stealing the $60,000 car by saying the owners owe him money.

"Whiteboy": You don’t f---k with my money or my family and everything is straight I’m gonna tell ya..

Tio: You’re getting them back for sure, that’s an expensive car there.

But the cops are looking for more than cars - they’re constantly probing to find out what else the suspects are into. Like guns.

Tio: Do you know where we can get some AKs?

One man says he has a connection who can supply automatic weapons—ak47’s.

P:...straight out the box, man. Straight out the box.

Tio: We’ll buy them right out the box as long as they’re fully auto. 

P: Man! I’m glad you said that... straight out the box. I’ll make a phone call right now.

Tio: Call him,  we’ll wait on him.

He says he’s ready to set up another line of business selling guns. And so is that thief named "Grenias," who suddenly whips out a semi-automatic.

Tio: Put it away. Put it away.

He’s a regular at the warehouse, this time offering guns for sale, showing off a sample of what he can deliver. Another man sells an ounce of cocaine to the undercover cops and says he can deliver kilos of cocaine.

Santiago: How you want? The good stuff or the step up?  It’s going to be good, but which one you want?

Tio: I want the good!

The stakes have just been raised.  Now things are going to get to get even more intense... cars, drugs and guns. It's a dangerous equation.

And to get closer to—to help build a case, the cops are going to have to leave the security of the warehouse with its monitoring equipment and extensive police backup.

And if that’s not risky enough, the scenario becomes even more dangerous when the undercover cops learn they themselves could be the target of an ambush...

MORE FROM DATELINE

Dateline Section Front

The Night Mary Jane Disappeared The Friday the 13th Mystery Mystery at Lost Dog Road Slideshow: Photos in the Bob Duke case When The Smoke Clears   Sneak peek: When The Smoke Clears Slideshow: The Christie Fleming murder Transcript: Dan Brown and Secrets Of The Lost Symbol Through The Pouring Rain In Plain Sight: Jaycee Dugard Dateline Section Front   Add Dateline headlines to your news reader: