Car Theft Ring Snags 400 Vehicles From Dealerships And Factories So Far This Summer

A wave of car thefts is sweeping dealerships across Michigan this month, as a group of organized criminals has made off with hundreds of cars worth millions of dollars. Now, dealers across the state are taking matters into their own hands, calling in private security firms to try and bring the “unprecedented number” of thefts to an end.

An Apple AirTag Is a Cheap, Simple Way to Keep Your Motorcycle Safe

Car thefts have been on the rise in Michigan over the past few months, with criminals hitting a Chrysler plant this week and a 14-year-old was taken into custody after attempting to steal a BMW M6 earlier this month. Police in Detroit have been attempting to crack down on the thieves, but their response hasn’t come quick enough.

Now, the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association is calling on private security firms to help bring an end to the wave of crimes hitting Detroit dealers, the Detroit News reports:

[Carl] Berry, a former police chief in Plymouth and Plymouth Township, who for more than 20 years handled security for the North American International Auto Show, said [Bob Weller, an attorney for the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association] asked him to attend a meeting in June with auto dealers “because they were having too many problems.”

“After I got involved, I had a meeting with the county prosecutors in Oakland and Macomb, and Wayne County sent a representative, and we all talked about how we can address this,” Berry said.

“Now, we’re looking at doing a program at dealerships, where we assess what doesn’t work and how to fix it,” he said. “We also want to show our plan to the insurance companies, to try to get the rates down. My grandfather was an auto dealer, and I was a motorcycle dealer, so I have a sense of what these dealers are going through. I’m going to point out what’s working, what’s not working, and make recommendations.”

The steps are essential, as the “epidemic” of thefts has spread across 40 jurisdictions in Michigan. In the process, more than 400 vehicles have been stolen worth an estimated $8 million.

The criminals behind the spree have reportedly turned to some pretty dirty tactics to get their hands on the cars, which has so far included hitting everything from high-end dealers to manufacturer shipping locations, reports the Detroit News.

‘Highly organized crime rings’ stealing cars from dealerships in Michigan

To break into these facilities and steal the cars, groups are reportedly turning to tactics similar to what “drug dealers did back in the ’80s,” Robert Ficano, former Wayne County sheriff and Wayne County executive, told the Detroit News.

Instead of breaking into the facilities themselves, they are turning to vulnerable young people to gain entry and steal the cars, reports Automotive News. They then deliver the vehicles to the gangs, who sell them off for profit:

Envy Auto Group in St. Clair Shores, Mich., had a $65,000 BMW stolen this week after thieves drove through the display window, and on July 10, A&B Motors Gratiot in Roseville, Mich., had three vehicles stolen after thieves crashed through a fence.

Two of the cars showed up in Detroit. One was found smashed into a tree. Inside was a 14-year-old boy, who was taken into custody.

Car theft rings use juveniles because they get “turned back over to their parents from the court, pending the investigation,” and can then target more dealerships, Michigan State Police Lt. Rene Gonzalez told Automotive News.

To bring the thefts to a halt, dealerships are reportedly looking into mechanical pillars that rise up out the entrance at night or even laying down spikes around the perimeter to prevent anything from driving off the lot. However, such measures “come at a cost” that some dealers may not be prepared to spend.

Car thefts have been on the rise in America in recent years as systems such as keyless entry offer vulnerabilities that can be exploited by criminals. These systems and the lack of immobilizers on other models make these some of the most stolen cars in the U.S.