Michigan police arrested six members of an alleged car theft ring earlier this week, accusing them of being responsible for the theft of over 400 vehicles in Southeast Michigan, totaling about $8 million. Their alleged crimes span more than 40 jurisdictions throughout the state.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office alleges the criminal organization was stealing vehicles for buyers seeking unregistered vehicles. The office has linked stolen vehicles to various other crimes, such as robberies, carjackings, and murder, and it has accused the group of shooting at police officers and ramming security vehicles during their operations. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel compared the group’s antics to a Grand Theft Auto video game.
All six individuals, aged between 18 and 25, were charged with Conducting a Criminal Enterprise and Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime. Both are 20-year felonies, and each suspect is also facing additional counts of Receiving and Concealing a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
Officers have so far recovered seven stolen cars, vehicle parts, electronic key fobs, stolen dealership license plates, burglary tools, cash, guns, and more. Authorities are still searching for two additional suspects, and they believe there are up to 20 others still on the street, with the youngest being 11 years old. The investigation remains ongoing.
Southeast Michigan was rocked by a wave of brazen car thefts that kicked off a couple of years ago, with thieves nabbing Chevrolet Camaros, Ford Mustang, Ford Raptors, and countless other cars from area storage lots and factories. The thieves, some of whom were as young as 11 at the time, had shootouts with security, rammed vehicles through fences, and endangered the public by running from police.
This latest investigation began in August 2023, and expanded in early 2024. When authorities executed search warrants this week on the suspects, more than a dozen local, state, and federal agencies and more than 200 officers assisted in the operation.
Police are taking this stuff seriously. So if you're thinking about stealing a car, think about the consequences first.
