Five arrested in car theft ring

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Wednesday, July 13, 2005 | 11:07 a.m.

Metro Police arrested five people Tuesday believed to be involved in a car theft ring in east Las Vegas.

Police said the suspects have been stealing vehicles for at least three weeks, stripping them and selling parts to buy methamphetamine.

They were squatting in a house in the 2300 block of Dori Avenue near Eastern Avenue and Bonanza Road, getting in and out through a hole in the roof and pirating electricity using car jumper cables connected directly to the power box, police said.

Metro Police, Nevada Power, the Health District, city code enforcement, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and other agencies raided the house Tuesday and then boarded it up.

The suspects were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, possession of burglary tools, possession of credit cards without the owner's consent and related offenses.