DFW Airport continues to monitor car thefts on property, says problem is trending down – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

A North Texas man said he parked his truck at DFW Airport, and it was gone when he got home. Investigators suspect a criminal gang is responsible.

Chaz Mady runs a business in Denton and has just expanded to a second location. He said the truck he recently purchased was an investment.

“We have a warehouse in Dallas where I get my inventory. So, I use my truck every week to move our inventory between stores.

Unfortunately, he has no idea where the truck is today and doesn’t expect to get it back.

“I checked my toll account and saw that Saturday night, he was on the interstate in Houston,” Maddie said.

The chain of events began with a flight to Las Vegas from DFW Airport last week. Maddie parked his car in the airport garage and took a photo on his phone to remember the location. When he returned two days later, his truck was missing.

“I was holding the picture up, looking back and forth, and I thought for sure I was in the wrong place,” he said. “Then I went to the server and said, ‘Am I crazy, or am I in the right place?’ He said no, you’re in the right place, your truck is probably gone.

The Dodge truck had been stolen. It’s a problem NBC 5 first reported in July when airport officials said they would increase patrols after vehicles were stolen.

Executive Vice President of Operations Chris McLaughlin told NBC 5 that DFW Airport has its own police department that patrols the 28-square-mile property around the clock. The Department of Public Safety also has contact with local, state and federal officials.

McLaughlin issued a statement that read in part:

“The airport has many types of layers of security, both visible and invisible to the public. Additionally, DFW Airport Department of Public Safety investigators are in close contact with counterpart local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate and share information about criminal rings, common issues, and best practices.” To disrupt crime.

“Rising rates of car theft is, unfortunately, a national issue. While the number of stolen vehicles at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport has risen in the past two years, this is true nationally as well as at other airport facilities across the country – which are not immune to Overall high crime rate. As we look at the publicly reported numbers among other peer airports facing this problem, we find ourselves on the lower end of the theft rate. In DFW, for example, we had more than 7.2 million vehicles parked in our customer lots as of January Through July.This means that the overall rate of vehicles stolen from airport property is less than 14 vehicles per million parked vehicles.

As for Maddie, he is now shopping for a new truck and said his travel plans have been changed indefinitely.

“I’m definitely not going to stop at the airport, that’s for sure,” he said. “I’ll probably be opring. The last thing I want to do when I get home is worry if my car is in the garage or not.”

While vehicle thefts at airports have increased in the past two years, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport is on the lower end of the theft rate among peer airports, McLaughlin said.

Details of the numbers and full statement for the airport here:

What is DFW Airport doing in response to reports of increased car thefts?

DFW Airport has its own police department with officers and security personnel on site 24/7. Officers regularly patrol our entire 28 square miles of property, including station garages and other businesses, with parking lots on our property. The airport has many types of layers of security, both visible and invisible to the public. Additionally, investigators with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety are in close contact with their counterparts from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate and share information about criminal rings, common issues, and best practices for crime disruption.

To what does DFW attribute this rise?

Unfortunately, high rates of car theft is a national issue. While the number of stolen vehicles at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport has risen in the past two years, this is true nationally as well as at other airport facilities across the country — which are not immune to the rise in crime overall. As we look at the publicly reported numbers among other peer airports facing this problem, we find ourselves on the lower end of the theft rate. In DFW, for example, we had more than 7.2 million vehicles parked in our customer lots from January through July. This means that the overall rate of vehicles stolen from airport property is less than 14 cars per million parked vehicles.

Investigators believe there is an element of crime rings behind many of the thefts reported at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, which also reflects regional and national trends. Investigators believe they have helped disrupt some of this activity in past cases and continue to work current cases that may be linked to the crime rings. For example, on August 15, 2023, video surveillance alerted DFW Airport Police officers to the presence of a suspicious vehicle inside a terminal parking garage. DFW Airport Police officers witnessed two individuals – Jamond Dashman Turner (DOB: 03/10/1999) and Kayla Cheyenne Pellerin (DOB: 04/12/2002) – in the alleged act of stealing a Dodge Ram TRX from the parking garage in Terminal A . The two were arrested, and further investigations revealed the involvement of a third suspect but he remains at large, and the investigation remains ongoing. The suspects were charged with 31.03(e)(5) Theft >=$30K<$150K and TX PC. 71.02(b) Engaging in organized criminal activity. DFW Airport Police have reason to believe these suspects are connected to the theft of four vehicles. This is just one example of the work being done to disrupt this type of activity.

What types of cars are targeted and why?

Investigators have seen a recent pattern of high-performance vehicles and powerful cars and trucks as prime targets for these criminals. Officers are aware of this information and regularly patrol stations and other parking areas. Owners of these types of vehicles should be aware of the current trend and consider taking necessary precautions, including updating the firmware in the vehicles, locking the doors, and removing valuables from inside their vehicles. To further deter potential thieves, drivers can also consider purchasing a steering wheel locking device for added security. We continue to ask the public to “See Something, Say Something” and to report any suspicious activity to police or airport staff.