A 21-year-old Oregon man, Aric Wade Adams, is now facing a 16-count indictment after being arrested for allegedly orchestrating a car theft ring that operated across multiple states. According to KOIN, Adams was arraigned on charges including armed robbery, theft, and the possession of stolen vehicles, following a collaborative effort by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Auto Theft Task Force and the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.
The indictment points to a series of thefts that specifically targeted American-made muscle cars such as Dodge Challengers and Chevrolet Camaros, valued at upwards of $70,000. Functionaries of the ring were reportedly paid hundreds for providing intel on the whereabouts of the target vehicles. Thieves were equipped with electronic devices to unlock and steal the cars effortlessly, as detailed in an affidavit cited by OregonLive. The elaborate operation spanned from Sacramento to Seattle, tapping a black market hungry for high-powered engines and luxury car parts. A notable tactic of the ring involved advertising the stolen vehicles on social media, greatly undervalued from their original price tags.
One particularly harrowing incident on March 26 saw the owner of a stolen 2016 Chevrolet Camaro attempting to confront the perpetrators, only to be threatened with a green laser—suspected to be attached to a firearm—aimed at his chest, which led to his immediate withdrawal from the interaction. This tense moment is among the detailed accounts in the charges, as reported by KGW, that outline Adams' alleged involvement in several car thefts across the Portland area, with evidence traced through his social media activity.
The investigation into Adams' activities reportedly turned a corner when a search warrant for his Instagram account was obtained in May, uncovering many of the social media evidence that led authorities straight to him. As shared by KGW, the founder of 'PDX Stolen Cars,' Titan Crawford, was integral in tracking one of the stolen vehicles, describing a sinister scenario: "(Adams) would ask people that followed him on social media to give him locations of these performance cars, at which point they would go in the cover of darkness, in the middle of the night to steal the cars," he noted. "These cars are expensive to begin with, anywhere from $60-$100,000. The engines alone in those cars are worth $30-$40,000 apiece. There’s a lot of value in that."
Arrested at his home in Central Point, Oregon, on August 8, Adams is currently being held at Multnomah County Detention Center. With the investigation still unfolding, authorities continue to encourage any individuals with information related to these car thefts to come forward and contact the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.
