Police arrest ‘ringleader’ in luxury car thefts targeting valet companies at Miami, Miami Beach hotels
www.wsvn.com, Sheldon Fox, Ruben Rosario, August 23, 2024
MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police arrested a man who, detectives said, came up with a crafty way to rip off several luxury rides being dropped off at valet parking locations in Miami and Miami Beach.
City of Miami Police said they busted the mastermind behind these elaborate heists, whom they identified as 24-year-old Zakria Khan.
Friday afternoon, the suspect appeared in court Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Maria Espinosa Dennis.
Miami Police Sgt. Oscar Baquedano addressed the judge.
“The theft of vehicles, of high-end vehicles — Bentleys, Rolls-Royce and vehicles of that nature — he re-titles them. he sends them over to other countries,” said Baquedano.
Detectives said the suspect boosted multiple ritzy rides from hotels like Miami Beach’s historic Eden Roc.
The arrest report states, “This method of stealing cars has been a new trend where valet companies are being victimized, and subjects are stealing keys directly from the valet boxes and returning back (a) short time after to take the vehicle.”
“Basically he’s one of the ringleaders of the operation down here,” said Baquedano.
Police said the suspect was behind the thefts of nearly $2 million in luxury vehicles, including a Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and Range Rover.
The arrest report states, “Throughout other multi-jurisdictional investigations, evidence has proven that he is operating an ongoing criminal enterprise.”
“He’s been involved in a lot of of fraud,” said Baquedano.
The exotic car heists have been happening from Miami to Miami Beach and beyond. Police said they traced some of the cars to a parking garage in Brickell, adding these vehicles contained the same Montana license plate.
In some cases, detectives said, Khan’s had stolen vehicles towed or driven to a storage facility in Hollywood.
“We’ve been searching for him for a while,” said Baquedano.
Khan’s alleged criminal auto adventure skidded to a screeching halt at Miami International Airport when, investigators said, he was picked him up moments after he arrived on a flight from New York.
In court Friday, Espinosa Dennis had a question for the suspect.
“Do you have a bank account with any monies in it?” said Espinosa Dennis.
“No, not with any money,” said Khan.
He may have nothing to show for all that alleged high-dollar thievery, yet police said, Khan somehow had plans to jet-set his way out of trouble.
“He is a risk, a flight risk,” said Baquedano. “Mr. Kahn also had a ticket booked today to San Salvador.”
When he was arrested, police said, Khan had a warrant out for his arrest for possession of machine guns and short guns. He remains locked up at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade.