A North Texas man said he parked his truck at DFW Airport, and it was gone when he came home. Investigators suspect a crime ring is to blame.
Chaz Mady runs a business in Denton and just expanded to a second location. He said the truck he bought recently was an investment.
“We have a warehouse out in the Dallas where I get my inventory. So, every week I’m using my truck to run our inventory between stores,” he said.
Unfortunately, he has no idea where the truck is today and doesn’t expect to get it back.
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“I checked under my toll tag account, and I saw that on Saturday night, it was on the tollway in Houston,” said Mady.
The series of events started with a trip to Las Vegas from DFW Airport last week. Mady parked in an airport garage and snapped a picture on his phone to remember the location. When he returned a couple of days later, his truck was missing.
“I was holding the picture up, looking back and forth, and thought surely I’m I the wrong spot,” he said. “That’s when I went to the valet and said, ‘Am I crazy, or am I in the right spot?’ He said no, you’re in the right spot, your truck is probably gone.”
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The truck, a Dodge, had been stolen. It’s a problem NBC 5 first reported in July when airport officials said they would increase patrol following vehicle thefts.
The Executive Vice President of Operations, Chris McLaughlin, tells NBC 5 that DFW Airport has its own police department that patrols the 28-square-mile property around the clock. Its public safety department is also in contact with local, state, and federal officials.
McLaughlin Released a statement that reads in part:
“The airport has many types of layers of security, both seen and unseen by the public. Additionally, investigators with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety are in close contact with peer local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate and share information about criminal rings, trending issues, and best practices for disrupting crime.”
“The rise in auto thefts is, unfortunately, a national issue. While the number of vehicles stolen at DFW Airport has risen in the last two years, that is true nationally as well as at other airport facilities around the country – which are not immune to the rise in overall crime. As we look at publicly reported numbers among other peer airports experiencing this issue, we find ourselves at the lower end of the rate of thefts. At DFW, for example, we have had more than 7.2 million vehicles parked in our customer spaces from January through July. That means the overall rate of stolen vehicles from airport property is less than 14 cars per 1 million parked vehicles.”
For Mady, he’s now shopping for a new truck and said his travel plans have changed indefinitely.
“I’m definitely not going to be parking at the airport that’s for sure,” he said. “I’ll be Ubering most likely. The last thing I want to do when I come home is worry if my car is in the garage or not.”
McLaughlin said that while airport vehicle thefts have increased in the last two years, DFW is on the lower end of the rate of thefts among peer airports.
A breakdown of the numbers and the airport’s full statement here:
What is DFW Airport doing in response to reports of rising car thefts?
DFW Airport has its own dedicated police department with officers and security personnel on site 24/7. Officers regularly patrol our entire 28-square-mile property, including the terminal garages and other businesses, with parking on our property. The airport has many types of layers of security, both seen and unseen by the public. Additionally, investigators with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety are in close contact with peer local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate and share information about criminal rings, trending issues, and best practices for disrupting crime.
What does DFW attribute this rise to?
The rise in auto thefts is, unfortunately, a national issue. While the number of vehicles stolen at DFW Airport has risen in the last two years, that is true nationally as well as at other airport facilities around the country – which are not immune to the rise in overall crime. As we look at publicly reported numbers among other peer airports experiencing this issue, we find ourselves at the lower end of the rate of thefts. At DFW, for example, we have had more than 7.2 million vehicles parked in our customer spaces from January through July. That means the overall rate of stolen vehicles from airport property is less than 14 cars per 1 million parked vehicles.
Investigators do believe there is an element of crime rings behind many of the thefts reported at DFW Airport, which also mirrors regional and national trends. Investigators believe they have helped disrupt some of this activity in past cases and continue to work on current cases that may be related to crime rings. For example, on August 15, 2023, video surveillance alerted DFW Airport Police officers to a suspicious vehicle inside a Terminal parking garage. DFW Airport Police officers witnessed two people - Jamond Dasman Turner (DOB: 10/03/1999) and Kyla Cheyanne Pellerin (DOB: 12/04/2002) - in the alleged act of stealing a Dodge Ram TRX from the Terminal A parking garage. The two were arrested, and further investigation revealed that a third suspect was involved but is still at large, and that investigation is ongoing. The suspects are being 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 that these suspects are connected to the thefts of four vehicles. This is just one example of the work being done to disrupt this kind of activity.
Which kinds of cars are being targeted and why?
Investigators have seen a general pattern recently of high-performance vehicles and muscle cars and trucks as prime targets of these criminals. Officers are aware of this information and regularly patrol the terminals and other parking areas. Owners of these types of vehicles should be aware of the current trend and consider taking precautions, including updating firmware in vehicles, locking doors, and removing valuables from inside their vehicles. To further deter potential thieves, drivers could also consider purchasing a steering wheel locking device for extra security. We continue to ask the public to “see something, say something” and report any suspicious activity to police or airport employees.
