Motorbike theft gang busted, admits to selling over 200 vehicles in Cambodia

By Duc Hung June 11, 2024 | 10:57 pm PT

Police in the central Nghe An Province have arrested 12 people allegedly belonging to a transnational gang that stole motorbikes in Vietnam and sold them in neighboring Cambodia.

Ly Nhat Cuong, 26, of Nghe An has been identified as its linchpin.

Suspect Cuong at the investigation agency. Photo by Hoa Vang

Ly Nhat Cuong, alleged leader of motorbike theft gang, at a police station in Nghe An Province. Photo by VnExpress/Hoa Vang

According to the police, at the beginning of this year Cuong formed the motorbike thieving gang, recruiting members in many provinces, primarily through social media, with most never meeting each other.

In Nghe An, he tasked Nguyen Dinh Son and Le Khac Dung, both 36, with breaking into homes and offices to steal vehicles.

He arranged for trucks to transport them to warehouses in HCMC and Ha Tien City in Kien Giang Province.

From Ha Tien, which is on the Cambodia border, he arranged for the motorbikes to be driven into Cambodia to be sold.

After watching the gang for 10 days until June 9, the Nghe An Criminal Police Department coordinated with their counterparts in Thanh Hoa, Bac Giang, Hanoi, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, and HCMC to simultaneously raid warehouses, arresting the three men and nine others working for them.

The raiding parties seized 75 motorbikes, tools to unlock bikes and transaction records.

Motorcycle evidence was confiscated. Photo by Hoa Vang

Motorcycles confiscated from a theft gang. Photo by VnExpress/Hoa Vang

The police have not disclosed how much money Cuong and the gang earned or how he distributed money to members after an operation.

The suspects confessed to have previously transported over 200 stolen motorbikes across the border into Cambodia.

The case is under investigation.