Looters Steal 80 Vehicles Worth Nearly $2.7 Million From California Dealership

"Everything from trucks, Jeeps, Chargers and the expensive Dodge Challenger Hellcats" were taken in the heist, the San Leandro, California Dodge dealership's owner Carlos Hidalgo said.

Looters targeted a high-end car dealership in California and made off with nearly 80 vehicles worth nearly $2.7 million, the dealership's owner told Inside Edition. 

"Everything from trucks, Jeeps, Chargers and the expensive Dodge Challenger Hellcats" were taken in the heist, the San Leandro, California Dodge dealership's owner Carlos Hidalgo said. 

"These are collectors cars," he said of some of the vehicles taken. "I have customers from all [over] the United States who buy these. What a shame to see what came out to be."

Thieves were caught on camera burning rubber as they made off with the cars. "Here's where they drove a car right out the show room floor," Hidalgo said. 

Video showed a police vehicle at the scene, but officers were overwhelmed. 

"The whole city was under siege. No way ... police could handle any of the looting," he said. 

 

The looters were able to make their getaway by making it into car safes that hold 240 keys. 

Inside Edition was there as a tow truck driver recovered one of the stolen vehicles, which was located with a tracking device. Many of the vehicles so far recovered have been stripped for parts. 

Other car dealerships across the nation have also been hit. In response to the threat, dealerships in Santa Monica boarded up their windows, and some transported their cars off their lots.

Mike Sullivan, owner of 12 dealerships, told Inside Edition between 10 and 12 cars were taken from his businesses. 

Others have gone to unthinkable extremes, including one person seen using a forklift to break into a Best Buy in Northern California. Crowds there dispersed when police arrived. 

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