Five arrested on 23 felony charges

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Tactical Detective Unit (TDU) recently completed a four-month investigation and arrested five people involved in a multi-state stolen muscle car ring, totaling 23 felony charges.  

Detectives recovered the following the case:  

• $700,000 in stolen cars (11 vehicles)
• $42,000 in cash
• Nine firearms

Detectives authored and secured 13 search warrants as part of their investigation, which began in June 2024. TDU worked alongside the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, conducting a similar investigation into high-end stolen cars (read more about MCSO’s investigation here: https://flashalert.net/id/MultCoDA/174440).  

CCSO Detectives learned that suspects in the theft ring had a sophisticated method of selecting their vehicles. They would surveil and then burglarize local car dealerships with a stock of high-end cars like Dodge Hellcats and Chevy Corvettes.

The suspects would also pay people to scout out privately owned muscle cars, and members of the organized theft ring would steal them and either sell them or part them out for profit.   

Though the ring affected communities in different states, detectives learned that suspects in Vancouver supported the theft ring in this manner: suspects would provide the operation’s ringleader with information on cars, purchase stolen cars he already had, part them out, or swap the vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number). Some would sell the stolen car parts to other theft ring members.  

Through a determined effort, law enforcement recovered multiple high-end cars in Vancouver that were stolen as far south as San Francisco and north as Bellingham, Washington. Detectives believe this particular theft ring started as early as July of 2023.   

Detectives recovered a safe holding $36,000 in cash along with the stolen vehicles. The money was concealed in ammunition boxes and is believed to be connected to the theft ring. The safe’s owner is one of the five people charged in the case.  

Among the vehicles recovered:  

• 2021 purple Dodge Charger Hellcat
• 2019 black Chevrolet Corvette Z06
• 2018 silver Hennessey Corvette
• 2017 white C7 Corvette (disassembled)
• 2016 red Stingray Corvette
• 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax
• 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS (disassembled)
• 2021 black Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye
• 2016 black Dodge Challenger Hellcat
• 2016 black Dodge Charger Hellcat
• 2016 white Dodge Charger Hellcat (disassembled)

The following includes the names and charges of the arrested: 

• Christopher Bensch (25): Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (x4), Trafficking Stolen Property in the First Degree (x4), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree, Taking a Vehicle Without Permission in the First Degree (x2) and Burglary in the Second Degree.
• Tyler Lautenschlager (42): Taking a Vehicle Without Permission in the First Degree (x2), Trafficking Stolen Property in the First Degree (x3), Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (x2), Forgery (x2)
• Luke Tangocci (34): Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle x2, Trafficking Stolen Property in the First Degree, Taking a Vehicle without Permission in the First Degree and Providing a Firearm to an Ineligible Person
• Miguel E. Gonzalez (26): Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle
• Juvenile Male: Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office appreciates our partnership with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Auto Theft Task Force, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. 

Information provided by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.