By Shawn Henry 
A yearlong investigation spanning multiple states has led to the arrest of a Pennsylvania woman accused of helping steal more than $2.4 million worth of vehicles by exploiting dealership test drives, according to police in Connecticut.
The investigation, led by the Old Saybrook Police Department, focused on a suspected organized vehicle theft ring that targeted high-end trucks at dealerships across Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. Authorities say the thefts began as early as March 2024 and followed a consistent and carefully executed pattern.
Investigators allege that suspects posed as legitimate customers and visited dealerships requesting to view specific vehicles. During routine interactions with sales staff, they asked to start the vehicles, creating an opportunity to manipulate key access. Police say the female suspect would sometimes distract salespeople by acting in a playful or engaging manner, allowing her partner to switch a real key fob with a decoy or access the vehicle’s onboard diagnostic port.
In some cases, investigators believe the suspects cloned key fobs in under a minute. With that access in place, the vehicles could be returned for later and driven off the lot without raising immediate suspicion.
One early case occurred on March 12, 2024, when a couple visited Monaco Ford in Glastonbury to view a 2024 Ford F-450 priced at $86,515. The truck was reported missing the following day, despite no immediate signs of forced entry. A similar theft was later reported in New Jersey involving a Ford pickup valued at $115,000.
The investigation accelerated on February 5, 2025, after two GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali Ultimate pickups disappeared from Vachon Buick GMC in Old Saybrook. In that case, both key fobs were still accounted for, a detail that prompted investigators to connect the thefts to similar incidents throughout the region.
Police ultimately linked the suspected ring to at least 20 stolen or targeted vehicles with a combined value exceeding $2.4 million. That trail led authorities to Tiffine Kyte, 37, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She was arrested in Warren County, New Jersey, extradited to Connecticut on January 15, 2026, and charged with multiple counts of first-degree motor vehicle larceny and conspiracy.
Kyte was held on a $275,000 bond and arraigned the following day. Authorities have not released details about any additional suspects but say the investigation remains active.
Police emphasized that cooperation between law enforcement agencies, dealerships, and the public played a key role in identifying the theft pattern and disrupting the alleged ring.
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