OAKLAND — A second person has been arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation of a ring of car thieves. Of the more than 100 vehicles reported stolen most were Chevrolet Camaros.
A California Highway Patrol investigation revealed the stolen cars were stripped in order to sell parts and components. The thefts occurred in 13 California counties and in several other states.
Vehicles were stolen from auto dealerships and from private residences. In some instances, the thieves targeted victims driving Camaros by following them directly to their homes.
These thefts occurred between March 2014 and August of this year, when the first suspect was arrested. Dominique V. Mills, 38 of Pittsburg, was arrested on August 24. He was located and arrested in Contra Costa County with the aid of GPS tracking on his phones.
A second suspect, Melvin D. Zachery, 23 of Bay Point, was arrested on October 3, by Oakland police. He was taken into custody at a Shell gas station, located at 9750 Golf Links Road.
More than 50 charges have been filed against both suspects, including grand auto theft and conspiracy to commit crime. They are also accused of illegal sales or possession of vehicle identification numbers.
The CHP is leading this ongoing investigation, but more than 40 law enforcement agencies are involved. Key evidence gathered by investigators includes surveillance camera recordings of vehicles being stolen.
