( CNN ) -- Authorities have busted a luxury-vehicle theft ring that took orders from clients in Africa and then stole the cars from New York . `` This criminal enterprise used the streets of New York City as one giant showroom for stealing cars , '' New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said . The operation specialized in the theft of Toyota and Lexus SUVs and other automobiles -- Toyota Venzas , Highlanders , Sequoias and Lexus RX 350s , GX 460s and GX 470s -- as well as other high-end makes , including Acuras , his office said . A local broker in Africa would relay the order to the theft crew boss , specifying what was to be stolen by model , year , color and accessory package . `` Members of the steal crew would then 'fill the order ' by locating the specified car '' and stealing it , court documents said . The stolen vehicles were worth more than $ 1 million . Law enforcement arrested 14 people Wednesday in raids spanning several states , culminating a yearlong investigation . They were charged with felonies under a 58-count indictment . The sophisticated operation used `` forged document specialists , '' a locksmith and a portable computer to sync a key to the vehicle 's unique code , allowing the vehicle to be stolen without damage , authorities said . The cars and SUVs were then loaded into shipping containers and transported to Africa with forged titles and vehicle identification numbers . Some of them went for up to $ 40,000 in cash , the attorney general 's office said . Those that did n't go to Africa ended up on the black market in Chicago .
Some vehicles went for up to $ 40,000 in cash , New York attorney general says . The stolen vehicles were worth more than $ 1 million , prosecutors said . Fourteen people are arrested in total in several states . The operation resulted in the theft of Toyota and Chevrolet SUVs and other automobiles .