Car thieves are hard at work, and car dealerships are on high alert in Michigan. A group of perpetrators targeted several dealers, breaking doors and windows in the middle of the night. The thefts prompted a multi-jurisdictional investigation.
Dealerships in Macomb County have had to deal with several car thefts lately. So far, just one person, a 14-year-old, has been arrested in relation to the incidents.
A showroom in St. Clair, Michigan, now has a window frame that was boarded after thieves drove off right through the window with a BMW, estimated at $65,000.
The BMW belongs to the owner of the dealership himself. He has had the car since he opened the showroom 13 years ago. His own was probably the cheapest of the lot. His BMW was sitting next to Ferraris, Aston Martins, and Bentleys. However, the BMW has sentimental value, so the owner really wants it back, even though he assumes it is probably damaged beyond repair.
He knows things might have been much worse. With all the super expensive cars on the showroom floor, stealing the BMW and breaking the window are the smallest damage they could cause. They obviously did not know much about cars or were just not willing to leave empty-handed on the night of the theft.
Photo: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 | YouTube
Footage from the surveillance cameras shows a silver Jeep circling the dealership, and then ramming it through the garage door. Six people get out of the vehicle and go inside the building, looking for keys.
Once they find the key box, they pick up a few and start searching for those that would unlock. The first one they spot is the BMW sitting right next to the window. The next thing we see is the car roaming through the window.
Two of the perpetrators remain behind and probably return to the SUV they came with while their teammates drive off in the BMW. The alarm blares in the background.
Car thieves are apparently not that good at driving Chevrolet Corvettes
Earlier this year, we reported about two thefts taking place in Alabama. Both of them involved Chevrolet Corvettes. In June, car thieves tried to drive off with a 'Vette from the Manheim Auto Auction in Lancaster Road, Pennsylvania, but they failed brilliantly. The one behind the wheel tried to reverse through the fence and into the road.
However, the sports car put on quite a brave resistance, and the thief got into the only vehicle that they were able to steal, a Chevy Camaro, and tried to get away. But a police car pulled over right next to them. The video stops at that moment. The police reportedly put an end to the chase to avoid endangering other motorists.
Another theft involving a Corvette took place back in March. Thieves left with a Corvette Convertible, a GMC Sierra, and a GMC Yukon. But things got complicated soon after their departure.
None of them knew how to put the top of the convertible up. So the one driving the 'Vette spent plenty of time braving the freezing temperatures and getting more attention than he would have ever wanted.
It is not every day that you see someone driving a drop-top car with the top down when it is that cold outside. As reported by WKRN News 2, there were only 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 degrees Celsius) on the night of the theft.
The rising number of car thefts in the state of Michigan and all across America is the reason insurance premiums increase. It is not only in the United States that car thefts terrorize owners and entire neighborhoods.
Last month, a Range Rover got the attention of the passersby because it was chained to a tree on the side of the road. The owner chose this way to protect his SUV from car thieves. If they wanted to drive off with his Ranger Rover, they might as well take the tree with them.
Chains are obviously effective, but technology could do the trick as well. In June, two thieves attempted to break into a Tesla but failed. However, the Sentry Mode did its job, capturing their deeds and faces. It sounds like the police had a very easy mission there.
Lost and found, but it took ages
Not all cars that get stolen end up dismantled or sold in some distant country where they don't care about VINs or Carfax reports. However, it might take a while until the owners get their cars back. In early March, the police found a Ferrari F512, which was stolen 28 years prior.
The car belonged to former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger. On the day of the theft, he reportedly tried to chase after the thieves in a Volkswagen Golf. But he could not keep up with his own Ferrari.
The Metropolitan police found the lost Italian sports car almost three decades later. You know what they say: better later than never.
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