Police officers in Laredo, Texas, arrested a Texas teen after stopping him for a traffic violation. It turns out that the driver was trying to deliver a stolen car across the border for a mere $250. Instead, he landed two felony charges. 

A Laredo, Texas, teen reportedly told police, ‘I know it’s stolen,’ after getting caught in an ill-gotten 2019 Hyundai Elantra

Laredo, Texas. It’s home to over 260,000 people and known to some as Texas’s “Gateway to Mexico.” Consequently, one young car thief was planning to use the Laredo border as more than just a gateway. He wanted to use it as an escape and a means to a $250 payday.

19-year-old Eduardo Antonio Navarro III was driving a 2019 Hyundai Elantra in downtown Laredo when he reportedly committed a traffic violation. Police then discovered that the sensible sedan wasn’t exactly on the level.

The officers at the stop ordered Navarro III out of the car and proceeded to search him, per the Beaumont Enterprise. Interestingly enough, Navarro III told officers, “I know it’s stolen.” He then told the authorities that another person had given him the car for transport.

Needless to say, the authorities aren’t treating the 19-year-old with kid gloves. Navarro III is looking at felony charges for theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. So much for $250. 

Common practice

Unfortunately for the vehicle owners in Laredo and other border cities, stealing cars and transporting them into Mexico is a common practice. According to a study detailing border-town thefts, an estimated 80 to 90% of stolen cars from border communities like Laredo, El Paso, McAllen, and Brownsville end up crossing the border into Mexico.

It doesn’t take long, either. The CBP says its goal is to get border crossing times in Laredo down to around 15 minutes. That doesn’t leave much time for authorities to identify stolen cars on the way into Mexico. Fortunately, however, technology like license plate readers can alert law enforcement to the presence of stolen cars.