Vernon Cops Contribute To Indictment In Federal Tire Theft Case

VERNON, CT — An federal investigation into a series of car and rim thefts off new cars that Vernon police assisted in resulted in an indictment Tuesday.

John H. Durham, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut; and David Sundberg, special agent in charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment Tuesday charging Michael Farias, 54, of Providence, RI, with offenses related to a scheme to steal tires and rims from new vehicles at car dealerships in northeastern states and then sell the stolen items to individuals across the country.

The indictment was returned under seal on March 10, and Farias was arrested Tuesday, Durham said. He appeared via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector and was released on a $100,000 bond.

According to the the indictment, between May 2015 and August 2018, Farias are accused of stealing tires and rims from numerous luxury vehicles at car dealerships in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and Maine.

The co-conspirators then sold the stolen goods to others around the U.S., according to the indictment.

The indictment charges Farias with one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum prison term of five years, and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of 10 years.