Colorado Rockies player’s Lamborghini caught in luxury car theft ring

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. — The Colorado Rockies are accustomed to stolen bases, not cars. Third baseman Kris Bryant recently found himself at the center of a theft ring when he tried to move his Lamborghini to his off-season home.

According to Cherry Hills Village Police Department detectives, Bryant’s custom gray 2023 Lamborghini Huracán was picked up at his Cherry Hills Village home by a transport company on Sept. 29, but it never arrived at Bryant’s Las Vegas residence. The car is valued at more than $300,000.

“You see this stuff in movies… You never think you’re gonna have a case that is that elaborate and takes multiple agencies to coordinate,” said officer Justin Smith, one of the detectives who worked on the case.  

The investigation revealed that the transport company’s email system had been hacked, allowing the suspect to reroute the car to an unauthorized location. Cherry Hills Village police acted quickly, knowing the stakes were high.  

“A lot of times with these vehicles, they’ll do a VIN switch — they’ll change out all the identification on the vehicle, and then the vehicle ends up on a ship, sent overseas,” Smith said.  

Using a license plate recognition system, Cherry Hills Village detectives tracked the Lamborghini to Las Vegas, where it was seen traveling on the city’s east side. The Cherry Hills team contacted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), whose officers apprehended the driver. 

Police records obtained by the Denver Gazette show the driver is a mechanic, who provided a crucial lead. The mechanic said the Lamborghini was dropped off by 58-year-old Dat Viet Tieu, a man based in Texas.

Detectives coordinated with Homeland Security officers stationed at Harry Reid International Airport. Tieu, who was flying into Las Vegas from Houston, was arrested as he exited the plane.  

“This was the most elaborate case we’ve been a part of,” Smith said. “The collaboration between VIPER [the LVMPD’s Auto Theft Task Force], Homeland Security, and the Denver FBI office was huge. That was a huge part in the success that we had.” 

The investigation revealed Tieu was part of a larger luxury vehicle theft operation with multiple suspects. Police recovered several stolen vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a Yukon Denali, and a Jeep Wrangler, in addition to Bryant’s Lamborghini.  

Bryant’s car was returned to him just five days after he contacted Cherry Hills Village police. Detectives said Bryant and his wife were thrilled to get the vehicle back. They also noted another vehicle linked to a Texas Rangers player was also recovered during the investigation.  

The suspect, Tieu, faces two felony charges for possessing and transferring stolen vehicles.