Michigan AG executes warrants in Oakland, Wayne counties, busting auto theft ring
WALLED LAKE, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — A raid at three homes in Metro Detroit on Wednesday may have busted some suspected car thieves.
State and local police teamed up to carry out arrest and search warrants in Oakland and Wayne counties.
A source close to the investigation told CBS News Detroit that the warrants carried out at this home and two others in Detroit are all related to auto theft.
The warrants ordered by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel drew a heavy police presence in a Walled Lake cul-de-sac on Woods Court near West Maple Road, which had some neighbors waking up to sharpshooters in their backyards.
"They usually plan it a couple of days in advance. And then they might not release everything until that morning, so there are no leaks," Steve Dolunt, a retired Assistant Chief of Police in Detroit, said.
The coordinated effort is part of Nessel's FORCE team, which was established to target criminal organizations.
"So you're going to go in there, and you're going to look for not just cars but parts and VIN numbers to see if they've been scratched off or obliterated, and you're going to go from there," Dolunt said.
The same scene was playing out in Detroit at a house on East Vernor Highway and Townsend Street and another near Eight Mile and Evergreen, where neighbors say two young children live.
"It's very traumatic because you're sitting in the house and all of a sudden you hear, 'Police, search warrant,' and boom, they're going in because there may be weapons in the house. And you don't want to give the people inside a chance to shoot back at you," Dolunt said. "Parents don't understand that. It's not going to affect the kids. It is. Because you're getting led out in cuffs, all these police officers are coming in, and a majority of them are wearing all black and a mask; it's all part of the intimidation factor; these kids are going to be terrified."
The AG's office held off on giving a specific number of how many people ended up in jail on Wednesday, but we'll know more in less than 24 hours.
"I'm guessing they did a primary preliminary workup to see if this person has any traffic warrants. Does this person have a gun? Have they ever been locked up for a felony firearm? Because that's an additional charge if they're doing a felony — stolen cars — and they have weapons in a house — felony firearms — it's supposed to be a two-year sentence automatically," Dolunt said.
Nessel will announce charges at the Troy Police Department on Thursday at noon.