Reckless-driving stop leads deputies to stolen vehicle scheme

By The Malibu Times · Sat Aug 15 2026

What began as a reckless-driving stop on Pacific Coast Highway led Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies to uncover an unusual stolen-vehicle scheme involving altered vehicle identification numbers and out-of-state registration.

Sgt. Chris Soderlund detailed the case during Monday’s Malibu City Council meeting, explaining that he and members of the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station special assignment deputies and crime impact team were patrolling eastern Malibu when they spotted a vehicle traveling approximately 80 mph and weaving in and out of traffic.

Deputies stopped the vehicle and arrested the driver on suspicion of reckless driving. But during the investigation, they began noticing details about the vehicle that did not add up.

The vehicle had a dark-tinted license plate cover over South Dakota plates, despite the registered owner being based in Southern California. Deputies also noticed the vehicle appeared significantly newer than the 2012 model year listed on its registration.

Investigators with the Taskforce for Regional Auto Theft Prevention were contacted to conduct a closer inspection.

Although the vehicle’s visible vehicle identification numbers matched the 2012 registration, investigators ultimately determined that the vehicle was actually a 2020 model that had been reported stolen approximately two years earlier in Bakersfield.

According to Soderlund, investigators believe someone purchased a salvaged 2012 vehicle and transferred identifying stickers and VIN information from that vehicle onto the newer stolen vehicle, making it appear legitimate.

The altered vehicle was later sold through Facebook Marketplace in Hesperia to its current registered owner, Soderlund said.

The South Dakota registration added another element to the case. Soderlund explained that the state’s registration process did not require the vehicle to be physically presented for inspection, allowing plates to be obtained without the alterations being detected.

“They couldn't escape us on PCH,” Soderlund told the council.

The discovery prompted some lighthearted discussion among councilmembers about whether South Dakota license plates might now receive additional attention from local law enforcement.

“It’s a major red flag now,” Soderlund said.