Your stolen car is in East Africa

One of the reasons I don't drive an expensive car (besides being cheap) is I don't want to worry about it
getting stolen, hijacked, etc.   Like wearing expensive jewelry on the subway, I think it's just not prudent.  Of course I don't have to impress anyone.

Recently 29 persons in New York/New Jersey were charged with shipping stolen cars to East Africa.

This was announced on the Waterfront Commission web-site. 

click here for link to complete article

"Twenty-Nine Charged in Takedown of International Carjacking/Theft Ring That Trafficked High-End Cars From New Jersey & New York to West Africa
February 27, 2014
Approximately 160 stolen cars worth more than $8 million were recovered in “Operation Jacked”
           Twenty-nine men were charged today in the takedown of a major international carjacking and stolen car trafficking ring that stole luxury cars in New Jersey and New York and shipped them to West Africa, where they can sell for prices in excess of new market value in the United States. Twenty-three individuals were arrested today as multi-agency teams executed warrants on charges including first-degree racketeering, carjacking and money laundering. Six fugitives are being sought on warrants.
           Approximately 160 stolen cars worth more than $8 million were recovered in “Operation Jacked,” a 10-month investigation led by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police, assisted by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Police, ICE Homeland Security Investigations, and other agencies including the Waterfront Commission Police. Approximately 140 of the cars were recovered at ports in New Jersey and New York where members of the ring delivered them for shipment.
           The ring targeted high-end vehicles – particularly luxury SUVs – made by Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Honda, Porsche, Jaguar and Aston Martin. Twenty-seven of the recovered vehicles had been taken in carjackings, a majority of which involved a gun or other weapon, while the others were stolen from various locations where the thieves were able to steal them with one or more of their electronic keys or key fobs, which are critical to the resale value of the cars."