A new breed of thieves has surfaced, and their target is dealerships. In Michigan, teenagers are targeting dealerships and stealing new model vehicles right off the showroom floor. The ring smashes the front entry with a vehicle, gains access to inside the dealership, then heads to the office and locates the keys to the vehicles. It appears Dodge, GMC and Chevrolet are the vehicles of choice. Organized crime has been in America for years, and with new technology and higher cost for parts, thieves have turned to dealerships as their parts source.
The crime ring is made up of young teens, hired for a few hundred dollars to steal cars. Who is the mastermind behind these crimes is not yet known. Law enforcement is investigating this crime trend – the ring appears to locate dealerships that have a limited police presence. Major companies resist installing security fencing around their properties or windows. It gives the appearance of an unsafe neighborhood. With the millions of dollars lost to thieves, they may no longer have a choice. Lost revenue can equate to higher cost of vehicles.
What is the motive behind these thefts? The vehicles are stripped of their parts and sold to consumers at a reduced price or sold outright without a title, and the new owner has no idea it is stolen until the vehicle is registered with DMV, and the vehicle is flagged in the database as a stolen vehicle.
A bit of advice: Never purchase a vehicle without a title present at the time of purchase. If new car parts seem too cheap, you might want to investigate who you are buying them from before purchasing. Happy Motoring.
