Three teens arrested for armed carjacking in Gaithersburg

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – An Easton man has been arrested in connection with a chop shop operation that resulted in the recovery of 10 stolen vehicles, according to District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca.

Cesar Garcia-Martinez, 34, is charged with two counts: owning, maintaining or operating a chop shop, a second-degree felony; Disposal of vehicle or vehicle part with changed vehicle identification number; and receiving stolen property, both third-degree felonies.

Garcia-Martinez was arraigned today before District Judge Linda D. Vega and is being held in the Lehigh County Jail on $75,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 4 at 1:45 p.m

The investigation, which involved multiple agencies, including the Lehigh County Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Force, the Allentown and Bethlehem police departments and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, began after Allentown police used automated license plate reading technology on September 18 to locate a stolen Honda match. The vehicle had been reported stolen two days earlier in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Task force detectives tracked the Honda to Allentown Auto Works and Recycling at 299 Cedar St., owned by Garcia-Martinez. While executing a search warrant on September 19, authorities discovered 10 stolen vehicles that were in various stages of disassembly and had their parts chopped into small pieces. The vehicles were stolen from New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia and Cheltenham.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney David J. Mussel, head of the Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Forces.

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PHILADELPHIA - A 29-year-old man is in critical condition after he was shot in the lower back Monday afternoon in the 1500 block of East Johnson Street, police said.

The shooting occurred at approximately 4:54 p.m. and the victim was transported by police to Einstein Hospital. He remains in critical condition.

No weapons were recovered at the scene and no arrests were made. The authorities are continuing their investigation.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the Shooting Investigations Group at 215-686-8270 or report tips anonymously through the department's hotline.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. – Montgomery County Police have arrested three juvenile males in connection with an armed carjacking that occurred on Friday, September 27, 2024, in the 13700 block of Colgate Way. The suspects, a 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds, were arrested the following day.

Officers from the 3rd District responded to the scene around 9:45 p.m. after receiving a report of an armed carjacking. Investigators determined that the suspects physically assaulted the female victim as she exited her vehicle in a parking lot. The suspects stole her car keys and cell phone before fleeing in their vehicle. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On Saturday, September 28, police located the stolen Lexus at a 7-Eleven on Lockwood Drive, where they arrested all three suspects after they exited the vehicle.

The 17-year-old suspect was charged as an adult with armed carjacking and related offenses and transported to the Montgomery County Central Unit. The two 15-year-olds were taken to a juvenile detention center and face the same charges. All three suspects are being held without bail.