Stolen Mercedes Recovery Exposes Multiple Felonies, Aids Federal Investigation

Photo Credit: Dallas Police Department

What began as a stolen vehicle alert in Dallas quickly expanded into a multi-charge arrest and provided key evidence for a federal investigation, according to the Texas Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority.

On January 29, 2026, the Northeast Crime Response Team with the Dallas Police Department responded to a FLOCK camera alert on a stolen Mercedes GLE that had been taken from Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport.

Through proactive police work, officers located the vehicle near Audelia Road and Walnut Street. The suspect, Loi Lien, 35, was found asleep inside the vehicle and taken into custody without incident.

During an inventory search of the Mercedes, officers recovered property believed to belong to Lien. A subsequent search of that property revealed evidence tied to additional criminal activity involving mail theft.

Photo Credit: Dallas Police Department

The discovery proved significant. Investigators said the evidence directly assisted the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with an ongoing federal investigation, demonstrating how stolen vehicle cases often intersect with broader criminal activity.

Authorities emphasized that auto theft is rarely an isolated crime. Stolen vehicles are frequently used to facilitate other offenses, including mail theft, fraud, and in some cases violent crimes.

“The detailed work by officers not only led to multiple felony charges but also strengthened another agency’s case,” officials said. “This investigation highlights outstanding teamwork, professionalism, and the importance of auto theft enforcement as a public safety tool.”

Lien was transported to the Dallas County Jail and charged with:

• Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle

• Possession of Identifiers

• Unlawful Use of a Criminal Instrument

• Possession of a Controlled Substance, Penalty Group 1, under 1 gram

• Theft warrant from Collin County

  
  

The case reinforces how proactive policing and coordinated enforcement efforts can turn a single stolen vehicle recovery into the disruption of larger criminal operations.