Three charged with stealing 20 cars from West El Paso rental company
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso Police say three men stole 20 cars from a West El Paso rental company.
The company is located at 7214 North Mesa. Police first received reports of a burglary on December 2, 2024. Auto Theft Task Force investigators found ten of those stolen cars across the city in the first three hours of investigations.
The next day, officers arrested 25-year-old Aaron Banda and 43-year-old David Saenz in connection with the thefts. That day, investigators also located two more stolen cars.
Soon after, detectives took 29-year-old Edward William Duckworth into custody. Officials say Duckworth had been in possession of the cars.
Police then found more of the stolen cars in Juarez. Mexican authorities took two more people, a 33-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, into custody in connection with the thefts. Those suspects have not been identified.
By the end of the second day of investigations, police had recovered 15 of the stolen vehicles. The remaining five cars are still unaccounted for. Those include a 2024 Nissan Altima, 2023 Nissan Altima, 2025 Toyota Camry, 2023 Chrysler Pacifica, and 2021 Volkswagen Jetta.
"Auto Theft Task Force asks the community to contact the El Paso Police Department at the non emergency number 915-832-4400 if they have any information regarding this theft," a police spokesperson stated Wednesday. "To remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers of El Paso and be eligible for a cash reward by calling (915)-566- TIPS(8477)."
Banda is charged with two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and one count of possession of drugs. Officers booked him on a combined $34,000 bond.
Saenz is charged with two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle and one count of theft of property. Officers booked him on a combined $50,000 bond.
Duckworth is charged with two counts of theft of property. Officers booked him on a combined $40,000 bond.
The stolen cars that have since been recovered include a 2024 Ford Edge, 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2023 Chrysler Pacifica, 2023 Dodge Charger, 2024 Toyota Camry, 2024 Mazda C90A, 2024 Mazda 3, 2023 Chevrolet Malibu,2023 Hyundai Tucson, 2023 Chrysler Pacifica, 2024 Dodge Hornet, 2022 Toyota 4Runner,2023 GMC Acadia MT,2024 Toyota RAV4, and a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The estimated cost of the vehicles stolen is around 675,000, according to EPPD officials.
The car rental company is located adjacent to the Albertsons where a suspected shoplifter stabbed a security guard a few weeks ago.
