CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that 21-year-old Richard E. Lucas, III of Cheektowaga, who was a suspect in numerous high-end vehicle thefts throughout Erie County, was sentenced Wednesday morning in Erie County Court to an indeterminate sentence of five to 15 years in prison.
The district attorney's office said that on March 8, Lucas pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, one count of second-degree attempted assault, one count of third-degree criminal mischief, one count of second-degree criminal possession of cannabis, and one count of third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Watch Related: 'Menace to society': Erie Co. DA discusses man's guilty plea in connection to high-end vehicle theft
The thefts took place between December 2022 and September 2023. The most recent case saw Lucas steal a key box from a Clarence dealership.
Before being caught, Lucas stole 14 vehicles including a Mercedes Benz, a BMW, and a Bently from dealerships in Amherst, Tonawanda, Orchard Park, Grand Island, and Clarence.
"21-year-old Richard Lucas is quite frankly a menace to society," said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. "You don't steal high-end vehicles like this unless you know you can sell them to people out there on the black market."
