A Katy husband and wife face charges in an alleged $3 million luxury vehicle theft ring, according to court records first reported by ABC13's Miya Shay. Investigators say the group used computer hacking to intercept high-end cars during shipping.
Dheyaa Abd and his wife, Iman Al Saedi, made their initial court appearance Saturday, Oct. 10, two days after Houston Police Department (HPD) officers raided Abd's small mechanic shop near Fondren and Richmond. Both remained in jail as of Saturday.
Court documents accuse Abd, Al Saedi and two additional suspects of hacking into a commercial shipping database used to transport luxury vehicles nationwide. Investigators allege the group changed drop-off locations in the system so they could intercept the cars before they reached their intended destinations.
The estimated value of the stolen vehicles tops $3 million, according to investigators, who described the alleged ring as notable for both its sophistication and the dollar amount involved.
A judge laid out the allegations while reading the charges in court Saturday: "All were involved in a high-end theft ring where numerous vehicles were stolen via transport vehicles. You all hacked into Central Database and rerouted shipments of luxury cars at different drop-off locations."
The name of the shipping platform referred to as "Central Database" has not been publicly identified.
Eyewitnesses told authorities that police arrived early on the morning of Oct. 8 to search the repair bay at Abd's shop, ABC13 reported. The raid came two days before the couple's court appearance.
The court documents name four total suspects. The two additional individuals have not been publicly identified. Specific criminal charges, bond amounts and vehicle details have not been disclosed.
Abd's attorney told ABC13 he plans to review the charges over the weekend to gather more information. The attorney was not named in the report.
HPD declined to comment further but said investigators expect additional arrests. Residents with information about vehicle theft can contact HPD's Auto Theft Division at 713-308-3500 or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-8477.
