A Pennsylvania woman faces a litany of charges in connection with an organized car theft ring that spanned multiple states, including Connecticut, according to police.
Old Saybrook Police Chief William Onofrio announced the arrest on Wednesday. The investigation began on Feb. 5, 2025, when Old Saybrook officers were called to Vachon Buick GMC on Middlesex Turnpike. It was reported that two vehicles were stolen. Investigators learned that the vehicles were taken after the key fobs were cloned while the suspects posed as potential customers at the dealership.
Officials said the investigation led to a car theft pattern spanning states like New York and New Jersey, dating back to March 2024.
According to police, the thefts shared similar details, such as the vehicle’s key fob being swapped or cloned, and the same vehicle later being stolen or an attempt to steal it.
Old Saybrook detectives worked with multiple departments and executed multiple search and seizure warrants. Investigators learned that the theft ring was responsible for seven motorvehicle thefts or attempted thefts in Connecticut between March 2024 and May 2025.
After the nearly year-long investigation, a warrant was issued for 37-year-old Tiffine Kyte from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Kye was arrested in New Jersey and extradited back to Connecticut on Jan. 15, where she was held on a $275,000 bond.
In total, investigators identified 20 vehicles stolen or targeted by this group, valued at $2.4 million. Officials said that evidence developed by Old Saybrook investigators “directly assisted” other agencies in New York and New Jersey with additional arrests in those jurisdictions.
Kyte was charged with four counts of first-degree larceny of a motor vehicle and six counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle.
Officials said the charges stem from incidents that happened in Glastonbury, Coventry, Ridgefield, Old Saybrook, and Fairfield.
