HOUSTON — Three suspects accused of being part of an auto-theft ring that targeted Houston airport parking lots have been charged and are wanted, the Houston Police Department announced on Thursday.
The group targeted high-powered cars and high-end trucks parked at Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports, according to police.
Though only three people have been charged so far, investigators said they believe more suspects were involved and they are going after them, too.
Police didn't share specific details on when the thefts happened, but according to court documents, at least five vehicles were stolen from Bush Intercontinental Airport from February 2023 to May 2023.
Marco Castillo and Joe Aguirre have been charged with aggregate theft, a first-degree felony, after court records said they stole more than half a million dollars worth of vehicles from Houston airports during that time.
Those vehicles included a 2019 Cadillac CTS, Dodge Ram TRX, Camaro ZL1 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado.
Mike Faulhaber, Houston Police Department commander over Bush Airport, said there is no reason to fear traveling to Bush even though the vehicle thefts have happened.
"We have a relatively low occurrence of auto thefts at Bush Airport compared to the other locations in the city," he said. "The airport remains a safe place for travelers, employees and visitors who come to it."
Tracy Hicks, with the HPD's auto-theft task force, said the best thing you can do to protect yourself while traveling is:
- Buying trackers
- Upgrading your alarm to include motion sensors and get an ignition kill switch
- Use rideshare to avoid leaving your car at the airport
Watch the latest update from HPD investigators in the video below: