Drivers alerted as vehicles totaling $500,000 disappear after using car service – owners left with nothing more than a text message

A TRANSPORTATION company that delivers luxury cars was hacked – the thief stole two cars worth a total of $500,000.

A robbery victim and the company’s CEO are offering $20,000 to anyone who can provide information about the car’s location.

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Steven Yariv, CEO of Dealer’s Choice Auto Transport in West Palm Beach, Florida, is proud of his company – a company that delivers luxury cars to its customers in a safe, streamlined and efficient manner.

“It’s a very simple process, the dealership calls you,” Yariv told FOX affiliate WSVN.

“Just ask for the information, where we are picking up and where we are delivering.”

Customers communicated with drivers and Yariv through what was considered a secure service – until a hacker entered the driver portal and interfered with communications.

That’s how a 2024 Mercedes Benz GLS 600 Mayback SUV, worth US$200,000, and a Rolls Royce Cullinan worth US$300,000 were stolen.

“The criminal actually broke into the driver’s portal and knew which vehicles were being transported, knew what was going on,” Yariv recalled.

For the Maybach, the driver’s delivery address suddenly changed from an address in Hollywood to a vacant lot in Miami.

“The thief happened to contact the driver acting as if he were the recipient and gave him all the correct information, telling him where the car should go.”

A similar case happened with Cullinan, where the driver responsible for delivering the luxury car received a message ordering a change of address.

“The driver received a text message from a random phone number. I actually have that phone number,” said Steven Waisman, legal owner of the Rolls Royce.

“[The driver] got a text message saying ‘Hey, do you have my Cullinan? Please deliver to this address.'”

“And he gave an address that was some random parking lot in Miami.”

Yariv and Waisman were devastated by the breach.

However, the thief’s antics didn’t end with the seizure of the luxury cars.

Both Waisman and Yariv were sadistically provoked by the thief.

“Ignorantly, he is sending us text messages trying to provoke us,” Yariv said of the thief.

The thief sent text messages with photos of torn floorboards to indicate that the factory tracking device had been forcibly removed.

“Bro, the car is already in Dubai, or in Europe, you guess,” said the text message.

How to prevent vehicle theft

Here are 10 ways to prevent your car from being stolen, according to one car insurance company:

1. Lock your doors. This makes it more difficult for thieves to access anything inside the vehicle.
2. Keep your keys with you. With smart keys and remote controls, a car can be unlocked if the key is nearby. If the key is inside or on you, it cannot be unlocked.
3. Don’t leave the spare key near the vehicle, as thieves know to look for it in common places, such as the wheel well, under items in the garage or in the glove compartment.
4. Keep windows closed. If a window is open, thieves can unlock the doors manually.
5. Park in well-lit areas, as this helps deter thieves if their actions are visible to passersby.
6. If your vehicle doesn’t have one, consider an anti-theft alarm system.
7. If you live in a high-crime area, consider an immobilizer device that utilizes a kill switch if the device does not recognize an authorized key.
8. Consider a tracking device so you can control the location of your vehicle if it is stolen.
9. Never leave valuables in the car, especially in a visible place. Thieves know to look for valuables in the floorboards, passenger or back seats.
10. Check before leaving the vehicle that it is safe.

Source: Allstate Auto Insurance

The thief also sent Yariv a message thanking him for the free car.

“Thanks for the free Maybach, man,” the message read.

Miami police are investigating the disappearance of the Mercedes, while Miami-Dade police are investigating the theft of the Rolls Royce.

Yariv is hopeful that the thief will be caught soon.

In the meantime, he is working courageously to restore the security of his service.

“This is something we deal with every day to protect our customers and protect people,” he said.

“We are one of the largest transport companies and brokers in the country, it is a battle every day”.

To help catch the thief, Waisman and Yariv are offering $20,000 to anyone who has viable tips on the location of any of the vehicles.

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