September 21, 09

NEWS / Baltimore CBP Recovers Stolen Car, Motorcycles

Baltimore – Customs and Border Protection officers recovered a stolen automobile and two stolen motorcycles that were being shipped out of the country from Baltimore this week.


The car, a 1997 Honda Accord, was recovered Thursday after the Jersey City, N.J., police department reported to CBP that it was purchased with a stolen credit card. The vehicle was loaded onto a vessel in Port Elizabeth, N.J., and offloaded in Baltimore. The car was being shipped to West Africa.


The motorcycles, a 2007 Kawasaki ZX660Jand a 2009 Harley Davidson Night Train, were recovered on Tuesday after being reported stolen from Fairfax County, Va. They were being shipped to Bolivia.

“Helping recover these stolen vehicles reinforces our commitment to partnering with local law enforcement to protect consumers and businesses,” said James Swanson, CBP port director for the Baltimore. “If they were my bikes, I’d certainly want them back. We’re pleased that these theft cases came to a successful resolution.”


The Fairfax County Police Department notified CBP on Friday that an export container being shipped from Baltimore possibly contained the stolen motorcycles.


CBP officers identified the container on Tuesday and had it moved to a shed at Dundalk Marine Terminal. Officers removed four salvage vehicles from the container and discovered the disassembled motorcycles packed in boxes inside the salvage vehicles. The frames and engines remained basically intact, and were discovered wrapped in blankets inside one vehicle.


CBP officers turned the motorcycle parts over to the Fairfax County Police after confirming each motorcycle’s vehicle identification number.


CBP officers seized the four vehicles, older model Mitsubishi Lancer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Rogue and Nissan Sentra, for facilitating the smuggling of stolen motorcycles.


The Baltimore seaport is one of the nation’s busiest at importing and exporting new and used cars, trucks, boats, recreational vehicles and farm equipment. CBP officers at the Baltimore seaport are charged with verifying that import and export documents are complete and that the commodity is accurately reflected on the documents.


CBP officers have recovered 17 stolen vehicles so far during fiscal year 2009, compared to five during all of fiscal year 2008.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/09182009_3.xml

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