9 suspects arrested for trying to steal RAM trucks from the Michigan factory

[NormanBuntz]

What the H is this country coming to? Nine thieves arrested for trying to steal Ram 1500 trucks from the Michigan factory, and it wasn't the first time this has happened. I know Detroit area crime is bad, but this is ridiculous.

9 arrested as police say they tried to steal Ram pickups from the factory

Police say they arrested nine suspects who were trying to steal Ram 1500 pickups from a lot at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant where they were built.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Lubener]

The trend in my area is a small group smashing the glass at high end dealerships during the night, finding the keys and driving off with half a dozen $100k+ trucks and sedans. I wish I knew what they are doing with them.

 

[mrsilv04]

What the H is this country coming to?

Seems to me that it all began about the time of Hurricane Katrina, and someone on TV made the comment how it should be OK to let people loot and steal the things that they'd not otherwise have.

It is easier than working for something, and guarantees that the rest of us pay more for everything in response.

The Yahoo news article states that the keys are normally left in the vehicles while in these storage lots. That rubbish needs to stop, right there.

 

[MrHorspwer]

What the H is this country coming to? Nine thieves arrested for trying to steal Ram 1500 trucks from the Michigan factory, and it wasn't the first time this has happened. I know Detroit area crime is bad, but this is ridiculous.

When the keys are already in the vehicles, it doesn't take much to understand why assembly plants are a target.

As for the plant's proximity to Detroit, same things happen in not-Detroit:

Lansing, MI

9 people in police custody after vehicles stolen from GM Lansing Grand River Assembly

According to tweets from Michigan State Police, the chase involved two groups of vehicles stolen from the plant.

www.lansingstatejournal.com

Flat Rock, MI

Thieves Steal Ford Mustangs, Again, From The Flat Rock Assembly Plant

Thieves stole more than a dozen Ford Mustangs from the company’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant last week, the latest in a string of robberies.

www.motor1.com

Toledo, Ohio

Employee reports car stolen from Toledo Assembly Complex parking lot

Three auto thefts happened from the parking lot in the span of four days last week according to TPD's online community crime map.

www.wtol.com

Fairfax, Kansas

KCK police investigate several vehicle thefts at GM Fairfax Plant

Investigators said 25 vehicles were stolen late last week

www.kmbc.com

Arrests made in Indiana (this group hit Sterling Heights Assembly at least once):

Arrests made in muscle car theft ring involving an Indiana manufacturing location

KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — A man was arrested as a […]

www.wishtv.com

 

[tmorris1]

Around here they don't do anything to them especially if they are juveniles. Police don't even do anything with vehicle theft because it is a property crime and they don't prioritize that.

 

[Leo99]

I worked with a guy who knew a guy that was stealing the fancy lawn tractors from Home Depot and selling them. The guy was doing a pretty good business selling new lawn tractors. The guy that I worked with was a real good guy and didn't want anything to do with stolen goods. Home Depot just put more tractors out and he stole them, too. However, Home Depot hid Lojacks in the tractors in anticipation that they'd get stolen. Not good for the folks that bought them.

This stealing from the factory sounds like they had a man on the inside.

 

[JTK]

One of the big Toyota dealers in my area got hit like this a year or two ago. A middle of the night smash and grab. I don't recall how many vehicles they made off with, but it was a few. Last I heard it was suspected to have had inside help.

 

[dishdude]

I have a feeling this is part of an organized crime ring that exports these stolen vehicles to other countries for resale on the black market.

 

[64bawagon]

They had a ring from the D a few months ago break into a yard in Flint and steal several cars. They were chased South on I-75 and one of them flamed out and died in a wreck about halfway back to the hood. Several of them drove through Oakland university property and got that shut down for the rest of the day. Nothing would surprise me any more.

 

[Dave Hess]

Sounds like an inside job.

 

[Dave Hess]

I have a feeling this is part of an organized crime ring that exports these stolen vehicles to other countries for resale on the black market.

Down in Miami lots of 4x4 trucks and AWD SUVs are stolen, especially Lexus / Toyota and shipped to South / Central America.

 

[RichR]

These so called people are running amok stealing ,robbing and killing.
The cars are used as disposable crime tools.
It's not in certain neighborhoods or cities anymore. Its everywhere.
Mayhem without punishment is what happens with a free pass.

 

[Owen Lucas]

I have a feeling this is part of an organized crime ring that exports these stolen vehicles to other countries for resale on the black market.

I know the radio and other electronics can't be just swapped over to other vehicles because the computer has to be reprogrammed with the new serial number or some type of procedure has to be completed where you can reuse electronics, which requires special tools, connecting to Chryslers database, and an account to do so. I guess that's that for radios and SRS parts at least. Maybe the VINs associated with those serials are flagged and unprogrammable?

You'd think there would be some type of inspection of vehicles leaving the country, even with chopped parts like fenders, door, hoods etc., the stamped / sticker VIN#s could be verified, and if they are missing, that's a flag right there. This leads me to believe there is little inspection of outgoing automotive cargo, which I thought had more scrutiny than most other stuff.

 

[joekingcorvette]

My parents previously lived across the highway from a large salvage yard called Arnd'ts wrecking company. The salvage yard was approximately 80 acres and they had about a dozen very mean and aggressive German shepherd dogs that were penned up in the daytime near the front entrance door. They would bark all the time. Those dogs were very scary looking and they NEVER had a part stolen at night that I was aware of. My dad owned a gas station and bar and the salvage yard employee's would all say how mean those dogs could be. People would say just throw a bunch of meat over the fence and people could steal all the parts they wanted to take. Nobody was every know to jump the high chain link fence to steal parts at night. The yard finally had a sale about 20 years ago and all the cars are gone and it's full of new houses and apartments. They continue to build and it should be full of homes and business in the next couple of years.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

The trend in my area is a small group smashing the glass at high end dealerships during the night, finding the keys and driving off with half a dozen $100k+ trucks and sedans. I wish I knew what they are doing with them.

Here they're usually high school aged kids that just drive around on fake, printer fabricated out-of-state temp plates until they get caught. Police are cracking down on this with plate scanners and tag checks...

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

One of the big Toyota dealers in my area got hit like this a year or two ago. A middle of the night smash and grab. I don't recall how many vehicles they made off with, but it was a few. Last I heard it was suspected to have had inside help.

I think they recovered all or most of the cars, kids. The shame is that these were actually sold deliveries for the following day and owned by customers, not the dealer...

 

[loneryder]

What the H is this country coming to? Nine thieves arrested for trying to steal Ram 1500 trucks from the Michigan factory, and it wasn't the first time this has happened. I know Detroit area crime is bad, but this is ridiculous.

9 arrested as police say they tried to steal Ram pickups from the factory

Police say they arrested nine suspects who were trying to steal Ram 1500 pickups from a lot at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant where they were built.

www.yahoo.com

Arizona has one of the highest theft rates in the country. 4 Guys use 2 pipes to lift the largest Harleys into a van and they are in Mexico before you even discover it gone.

 

[wpod]

The trend in my area is a small group smashing the glass at high end dealerships during the night, finding the keys and driving off with half a dozen $100k+ trucks and sedans. I wish I knew what they are doing with them.

Probably shipping them over seas or parting them out.

 

[slo town]

Around here they don't do anything to them especially if they are juveniles. Police don't even do anything with vehicle theft because it is a property crime and they don't prioritize that.

It's the district attorneys not doing anything.

Scott