4 Charged in Car Theft and Home Invasion Ring Targeting Ventnor

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced on Friday that four men were charged in a 61-count indictment for their respective roles in an auto theft and home invasion ring.

One of the thefts in the crime spree happened in Ventnor when a Mercedes-Benz S63 was stolen from outside the owner's home.

Four Men Arrested in Car Theft Crime Ring

The Attornety General said that Tyree Payton, 25, of Clementon; Israel Ortiz, 23, of Sewell; Sakie Smith, 30, of Philadelphia; and Jeremiah Lugo, 19, of Clementon were indicted by a state grand jury on October 22, 2025, on charges including home invasion burglary, conspiracy, auto theft, receiving stolen motor vehicles, burglary, credit card theft, and other crimes.

“These defendants are charged with embarking on a brazen spree of car thefts, burglaries, and other crimes,” said Attorney General Platkin.

“But this case is about more than car thefts – it is about robbing people of their sense of security and safety. We are using recently enacted laws to charge criminals who invade homes to steal key fobs so that they can steal cars.

From March 15, 2025, to May 23, 2025, a total of 11 vehicles were stolen from outside homes.

In some cases, the defendants allegedly targeted high-end vehicles – typically when they were left unlocked, and, at times, with the keys left in the vehicle – that were parked in driveways.

Example of the Car Thefts Includes Ventnor Theft

The report from the Attorney General gave examples of car thefts that the men are responsible for.

One of the examples is a stolen Mercedes-Benz taken from Ventnor in April 2025.

On April 20, 2025, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz S63 was stolen from outside the owner's home in Ventnor.

The vehicle was unlocked, and the keys were left inside the vehicle when the victim parked the vehicle around 11:00 am.  When the victim came outside around 11:00 pm,  the vehicle was gone.

The vehicle was later recovered by the Philadelphia Police around the Philadelphia International Airport.

Ortiz, Payton, and Lugo are charged in the indictment with theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, and three counts each of theft of a credit card and fraudulent use of a credit card based on allegations of fraudulent purchases using the owner of the car’s credit cards.