Thieves Steal Keys, Titles for 25 Vehicles from South Omaha Car Lot

Suspects distracted manager to steal keys and titles, disabling vehicles to prevent theft

Jan. 27, 2026 at 11:07pm

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A well-planned theft involving several suspects hit a South Omaha used car lot on Monday afternoon, with thieves stealing the keys and titles for 25 vehicles. The manager believes the scheme started the previous week, with the suspects distracting him to take the keys and titles from his desk. Security camera footage shows two men parking behind a neighboring business and then returning to the car lot, with one man appearing to handle something in the back seat before they drove away. The used car lot has had to improvise security measures, removing tires and locking lug nuts to prevent the vehicles from being stolen.

Why it matters

This theft highlights the vulnerability of used car lots to organized criminal activity, as well as the potential impact on businesses and customers when such crimes occur. The incident raises questions about security measures for car lots and the challenges dealers face in protecting their inventory.

The details

According to the manager, Mike Erickson, a potential customer drew him to the front of the lot, distracting him for about 10 minutes. When Erickson returned to his desk, he found that all the keys and the stack of vehicle titles were missing. Security camera footage shows two men parking behind a neighboring business and then walking to the car lot, before returning to the vehicle about 10 minutes later. One man can be seen in the back seat, apparently handling something. The pair then casually drove away using the neighboring business's driveway. With the keys missing for 25 vehicles, the used car lot has had to take drastic measures, removing the tires and locking the lug nuts to prevent the vehicles from being stolen.

  • On Monday afternoon, the theft occurred at the Apple Auto used car lot in South Omaha.
  • On Friday night, one vehicle was stolen from the lot in a possible test run before the larger theft on Monday.

The players

Mike Erickson

The manager of the Apple Auto used car lot in South Omaha.

Dave Nelson

A salesman at the Apple Auto used car lot who discovered that cables had been cut, disabling the security cameras, before the Dodge Caravan was stolen on Friday night.

Apple Auto

The used car lot in South Omaha that was targeted by the thieves, resulting in the loss of keys and titles for 25 vehicles.

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What they’re saying

“I raised the hood, started the car and showed him that.”

— Mike Erickson, Manager (WOWT)

“I opened it up and all the keys were gone and I couldn't believe it, I was in shock.”

— Mike Erickson, Manager (WOWT)

“They had to have been here before because they knew to distract me while they took the keys and the titles.”

— Mike Erickson, Manager (WOWT)

“They cut the cables so they would cut the cameras off and then they stole our Caravan, a Dodge Caravan out of the lot.”

— Dave Nelson, Salesman (WOWT)

What’s next

The Omaha police crime scene investigators have taken the security camera hard drive to try to pull more video of possible suspects in the theft. The dealer, who is out of town, will offer a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the recovery of the stolen keys and titles.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the need for used car lots to have robust security measures in place to protect their inventory, as well as the challenges they face in deterring organized criminal activity targeting their businesses. It also underscores the importance of vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement to address such crimes.