30 Armed Thieves Steal 13 Vehicles From Detroit Dealership

Nov. 17, 2022 2:20 PM ET byJay Traugott Offbeat /4 Comments

Police have so far recovered only seven of the cars.

An organized group of thieves stormed a Detroit Metro area car dealership and drove away with 13 vehicles.

According toFox 2 Detroit, 30 criminals invaded the Genesee County dealer early Monday morning and exchanged gunfire with the on-duty security guard.

Fortunately, no one was injured, but the criminal gang fled the area. "[They] fired shots at him, and he exchanged gunfire with those suspects. They were able to get into vehicles and drove through the gate, damaging other vehicles on the way out, and were able to get away," Flint Police Chief Terence Green said.

Ford

The police have reason to believe the gang is based in Detroit but are still investigating the suspects' identities. So far, seven of the stolen vehicles have been recovered in nearby Oakland County. This is not the first time a car dealer lot has been the target of organized criminals; unfortunately, it probably won't be the last.

The police also confirmed that one of the stolen cars was a2022 Ford Mustang. We emphasize "was" because it crashed on a nearby highway while the criminal driver fled the scene.

The accident was quite severe as the driver was killed.

Dodge

TheDodge Durangois also apparently popular among the thieves. Several examples were taken, and police believe two suspects in those SUVs might have been armed, forcing a shelter-in-place order at Oakland University in Rochester Hills. This situation stood out from past dealership thefts because the suspects were armed.

Authorities also confirmed thieves typically come to the area from other cities to live out their "Grand Theft Auto" fantasies. "Not uncommon. We have groups that travel from other parts of the state just to victimize these lots," said chief Terence Green.

Automakers design and build new vehicles with an array of anti-theft technologies, but it's nearly impossible to stop professional and determined thieves. Unfortunately, criminals are becoming brazen and arming themselves.