Customs stops more than 600 stolen cars from being shipped out in international crime theft ring

Federal agents announced a major crackdown on stolen cars at a busy East Coast port.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on Thursday that they have stopped more than 600 attempts this year to ship stolen vehicles overseas through the Port of New York and New Jersey, as part of an international crime ring.

Security camera videos provided by homeowners captured intruders entering homes while families slept upstairs and searching drawers and bags for key fobs to high-end vehicles parked outside.

Many of the stolen vehicles ultimately end up in containers at the Port of Newark before being shipped to overseas buyers, generating millions of dollars for criminal organizations, according to officials.

Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security said the effort has prevented millions of dollars' worth of stolen vehicles from leaving the country.

"Keeping over $36 million in stolen property from leaving this country, but behind those numbers are real victims, every single one of those vehicles were taken from someone -- a family, a commuter, a small business," McCarthy said.

Customs and Border Protection displayed several high-end vehicles investigators recovered after they were stolen.

"This illegal trade represents a significant loss for American consumers, businesses and insurance companies and it undermines the integrity of our borders," said TenaVel Thomas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection port director.

Law enforcement agencies involved in efforts to break up the theft rings discussed their ongoing work at the Port of Newark but did not disclose their tactics.

Officials also urged vehicle owners to take precautions that could make it more difficult for thieves to steal their cars.

"Never leave their cars and key fobs in vehicles, keep doors locked, windows closed, park your cars in well-lit areas," Hudson County Sheriff's Office Chief Paterson Pasteur said.