Couple busted in auto theft ring

Jen Lawson

Friday, May 14, 2004 | 10:43 a.m.

A husband and wife suspected of selling more than a half-million dollars worth of stolen luxury cars to unsuspecting locals over the last two years were arrested by Metro Police Thursday after a six-month investigation, police said.

Daryoush Kangarani and Mojgun Mashhadi, both 37, are "one link in a chain" involving about 15 other suspects in Florida, Virginia, Michigan, Minnesota, Kentucky, South Carolina, California, Arizona and other states, said Sgt. Susan Shingleton of Metro's auto theft detail.

The members of the ring stole Hummers, BMWs and Mercedes Benz vehicles -- most were stolen in Florida -- then shipped them to accomplices in different states who sold them, she said.

"This is a rather large bust for us," Shingleton said.

Detectives with Metro's VIPER Auto Theft Unit arrested Kangarani and Mashhadi.

Authorities in the other states as well as federal agencies are involved in the investigation. Of the approximately 70 stolen vehicles believed to be linked to this group, about half have been recovered to date, authorities said.

The suspects in the ring switched vehicle identification numbers and created new documentation to make it appear that the sales were legitimate, police said.

Kangarani, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Iran, works in the vacation time share industry and allegedly sold four vehicles to business associates and friends. But police believe there are more victims who may not know their expensive rides are hot.

Police seized the vehicles from the known victims, Shingleton said. Some paid Kangarani and Mashhadi $25,000 in cash for a vehicle worth $35,000.

"They were pretty upset, obviously," Shingleton said. "I think that somewhere deep down they may have known ... It comes back to, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Authorities will try to get the court to order the couple to pay restitution to the victims, Shingleton said. Kangarani, whom she said is a naturalized citizen from Iran, may have his citizenship revoked by the court.

Police expect to make more arrests.

Anyone who may have purchased a vehicle from Kangarani or Mashhasi is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555 or the auto theft detail at 229-1970.

The case was the second major car-theft ring broken by Metro in less than a week, police said.

On May 7, police arrested 37-year-old Dane Keiser for possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of methamphetamine. Keiser and several accomplices allegedly had been stealing cars and pickup trucks, selling them for parts and using the money to buy drugs, police said.

For the last several years, the Las Vegas Valley has had one of the highest auto theft rates in the nation.

From July 2002 through June 2003, for example, 1,430 vehicles were reported stolen to Henderson Police and 15,592 were reported stolen to Metro, police said.

Because auto theft is such a problem in the valley, Henderson Police are conducting an "Auto Theft Prevention Day" from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Fiesta Henderson casino on Lake Mead Parkway and U.S. 95.

Free vehicle identification etching will be offered, in which volunteers use special kits to etch small VIN numbers onto car windows. If a professional thief sees the small VIN numbers on the windows it should discourage the theft, police said.

Drivers can also enrollment in the "Watch Your Car" program Saturday, co-sponsored by Henderson police, Metro and Allstate Insurance.

Participants register their vehicle with the police department and receive free decals to display in the front and back windows telling police that the car is not usually driven between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., when most car thefts occur.

If a police officer sees the car on the streets during that time he or she has the permission of the owner to pull it over to determine if it has been stolen.