Members of N.J. Car Theft Ring Sentenced

TRENTON, N.J. --- New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram announced that two North Jersey men were sentenced in May for being part of a theft ring that targeted luxury cars.

As part of the ongoing investigation into the ring, the Office of Insurance Fraud has recovered about 25 reported stolen vehicles, including many high-end vehicles. Vehicles totaling in excess of $1.5 million were recovered.

Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown said that Chevon Robinson, 26, of Elizabeth, and Kirtice Cummings, 35, of Newark, were ordered by Superior Court Judge Douglas M. Fasciale in Union County to serve four years in state prison.

The majority of recovered vehicles were allegedly stolen from New Jersey Port Authority new car holding lots and other new car holding lots, as well as from a long-term parking lot situated next to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Robinson and Cummings were sentenced following their Feb. 28 guilty pleas to separate accusations that charged each of them with second-degree fencing. In pleading guilty before Superior Court Judge John S. Triarsi in Union County, Robinson and Cummings admitted to knowingly trafficking stolen property by making arrangements and assisting in the sale of three stolen automobiles, which had a combined value of more than $200,000: a 2007 BMW Alpina, and two 2007 Infinity FXs.

Investigators with the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor arrested Robinson and Cummings, as well as Saladine Grant, 33, of Newark, on July 31, 2007. Grant was charged with receipt of stolen property, fencing and conspiracy. At the time, Judge Triarsi set Grant's bail at $1 million. Grant's case was still pending.

State investigators Jarek Pyrzanowski and Jeffrey Lorman, and Deputy Attorney General John J. Higgins, were assigned to the investigation. Higgins represented the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the sentencing.