'Prolific' Car Thief Arrested On Suspicion Of Stealing At Least 14 Vehicles In 3 Months
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of stealing more than a dozen vehicles in a three-month period and are looking for additional victims.
Jose Enrique Esquivel, 24, has been accused by authorities of being a "prolific" car thief who is suspected of stealing at least 14 vehicles between March 30 and June 23 of this year.
Detectives said Esquivel scouted lower income neighborhoods in southeast L.A. and stole victims' only means of transportation. He has also been accused of taking advantage of the zero-bail policy in place during the coronavirus pandemic.
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"Within days, or sometimes even hours, of being released from police custody, he would turn around and commit the exact same crime," Alex Karkanen, deputy district attorney, said. "And, of course, the police would catch him again, they would take him into custody and have to release him. He would do this again and again and again."
If convicted as charged, Esquivel faces up to 17 years in prison. He was being held Tuesday on $610,000 bail.
Anyone who believes they might have been a victim of Esquivel was asked to call the sheriff's department at 800-299-8727.
