The two accused crooked car part thieves engaged in a year-long scheme to steal tires and rims from 114 vehicles across Suffolk County, then sell them online to unsuspecting folks who had no idea what they were buying was “hot.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney announced the arrests and takedown of the two accused thieves who caused more than $500,000 worth of damage to the cars they partially stripped.
A 190-count indictment was unsealed, charging 37-year-old Randy Woods, 37, of Wyandanch and 45-year-old Dwayne Jones, of Central Islip, for allegedly stealing tires and rims between July 1st, 2022, and October 20th, 2023.
In an exclusive interview with the South Shore Press, Tierney praised the high level of collaboration between multiple units of the District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk County Police Department.
“The collaboration was excellent and impressive. This was a considerably large crime ring that negatively impacted the quality of life in Suffolk County,” said Tierney.
According to law enforcement, both Woods and Jones cooked up an elaborate scheme to steal rims and tires from mostly models consisting of Honda, Toyota, Mercedes Benz, BMW, and black rims from SUV’s. Police said they obtained text messages and online communications between the two accused thieves showing they targeted neighborhoods, auto dealerships, and rental car companies.
“The National Insurance Crime Bureau would like to applaud the staff of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the investigators who tirelessly participated in this investigation. We are pleased that NICB had the opportunity to provide support,” said Kevin Gallagher, Regional Director of the Northeast Region of the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Once the two accused criminals stole tires and rims, they took to social media and other electronic means of communication to sell their stolen goods.
“These buyers wouldn’t know the items were stolen. But in other cases people contacted the accused and stated ‘I need these specific rims,’” Tierney told the South Shore Press.
Police and prosecutors painstakingly pieced together the criminal case using many investigative tools at their disposal, including video evidence, text messages, phone calls, even global positioning systems (GPS) to pinpoint the accused at specific crime scenes.
“Quality of life crimes have been a priority since day one of our administration, and this indictment reaffirms our dedication to them. More than 100 vehicle operators in Suffolk County parked their cars here only to return to them without tires and rims. These more than 100 victims had to suffer collateral damages from these crimes such as missed appointments, missed work, a missed vacation or a planned vacation in the immediate aftermath of these crimes. My commitment to tackling these types of crimes remains. If you steal other people’s property, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” added Tierney.
Woods was indicted on the following charges after stealing tires and rims from 52 automobiles:
• Twenty-two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Class D felonies;
• Five counts of Auto Stripping in the First Degree, Class D felonies;
• Two counts of Auto Stripping in the Second Degree, Class E felonies;
• Twelve counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Class E felonies;
• Twenty-seven counts of Auto Stripping in the Third Degree, Class A misdemeanors; and
• One count of Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.
Woods was arraigned on the indictment on May 7, 2024, before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins who set bail in the amount of $100,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond, and $1,000,000 bond secured at ten percent. Woods is also being held in Suffolk County on previous charges of Strangulation in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
Jones, was indicted on the following charges after stealing tires and rims from 101 automobiles:
• Fifty-seven counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Class D felonies;
• Sixteen counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Class E felonies;
• Six counts of Auto Stripping in the First Degree, Class D felonies;
• Five counts of Auto Stripping in the Second Degree, Class E felonies;
• Fifty-two counts of Auto Stripping in the Second Degree, Class E felonies;
• Twelve counts of Auto Stripping in the Third Degree, Class A misdemeanors; and
• One count of Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.
Jones is currently serving a jail sentence in Bergen County, New Jersey in a separate case involving the theft of tires and rims. He is being extradited back to Suffolk County to be arraigned on this indictment.
Woods is due back in court on June 14, 2024. As persistent felony offenders, Woods and Jones face a potential maximum sentence of 25 years to life of incarceration on these charges.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys James Bartens and Blythe Miller of the Financial Crimes Bureau, with assistance from Detective Michael Lavella of the Property Auto Crime Unit of the Suffolk County Police Department, Detective Michael Filippazzo of the Gun Crime Reduction Unit of the Suffolk County Police Department, and Research Technician Emily Kiersnowski of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Specialized assistance was also received from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.