Serial car dealer thief pleads guilty to 15 felony counts

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A serial car dealer thief has pleaded guilty to 15 felony counts as well as three more misdemeanor counts in connection to stealing cars at several different dealerships across Erie County in 2023, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced Monday.

21-year-old Richard E. Lucas, III, of Cheektowaga, admitted to stealing cars from dealerships in Orchard Park, Amherst, Tonawanda, Grand Island, Clarence as well as Rochester between March 1 and Sep. 3, 2023.

All of the cars stolen were high-end cars that included Dodge Challengers, a Corvette, an Aston Martin, a Chevrolet Camaro, BMW M8, a Mercedes-Benz and a Bentley Continental. Nearly all were recovered locally, but one car stolen out of a dealership in Amherst was found crashed and abandoned in Washington, D.C.

In total, Lucas, III pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• five counts, second-degree grand larceny
• two counts, second-degree criminal possession of stolen property
• two counts, third-degree burglary
• three counts, second-degree criminal mischief
• one count, third-degree criminal mischief
• one count, second-degree attempted assault
• one count, second-degree criminal possession of cannabis
• two counts, third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
• one count, third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle

He faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 19. He is being held without bail.