A man involved in a dump truck theft operation has been arrested after being caught red-handed grinding VIN numbers off of stolen dump trucks. 

The man was caught grinding the VINs on March 18th in Tampa, Florida as investigators entered a business in the 4700 block of Hulbert Avenue. 

According to Fox 13, detectives were investigating a stolen dump truck when they entered the business and discovered 40-year-old Olansy Marrero grinding the VIN on a dump truck. Search warrants were obtained for the property, along with two others owned by the same business on the same street, leading to the discovery of eight stolen dump trucks. The total value of the trucks is estimated to be about $1.2 million. 

“During the search warrant, they’re able to recover three stolen dump trucks. They also see the same thing across the street. They get a secondary search warrant and they get three more stolen dump trucks,”  Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said.

Marrero was arrested and charged with three counts of Grand Theft of $100k or more, criminal mischief of $1k or more, possession of a VIN plate, possession of a motor vehicle with a VIN plate, selling or possessing a vehicle with altered numbers, tampering with physical evidence, operating a chop shop, and introduction of contraband into a detention facility. 

Lawyers for the business where the dump trucks were being stored made the following statement about the situation: “Those trucks were the property of others who utilize the company’s services to park their trucks on the property and to have routine maintenance performed.”

“The victims of these stolen dump trucks. You could imagine the financial impact that has on them. Their families. This is their livelihood. This is how they make money. When that expensive piece of equipment isn’t in service. They’re not making money,” Chronister said. 

“These thefts didn’t just hurt business owners from across Florida and the Southeast, but they impacted families, employees, and construction projects. We’re committed to those who help build up our community and will come after anyone who tries to tear it down through theft and illegal operations.”