30 Thieves Storm Michigan Dealership, Stealing 13 Vehicles
The incident led to a lockdown at Oakland University and a fatal crash on I-75.
A large group of approximately 30 individuals were involved in a mass car theft from a Genesee County dealership in Flint, Michigan on Monday.
The group stormed the facility at S Saginaw St and Atherton Rd in Flint at approximately 3:00 a.m., according to police reports. As covered by Fox 2 Detroit, the group allegedly exchanged gunfire with a security guard at the facility during the heist. The stolen vehicles were driven through the facility's gates to escape the holding lot, damaging several other vehicles on the way out.
13 vehicles were stolen in total. including two Dodge Durangos and a 2022 Ford Mustang. The driver and sole occupant of the Mustang later died in a fiery crash at 4:00 a.m., which took place on the Joslyn Road exit ramp of I-75. Two other stolen vehicles were also involved in the crash. Meanwhile, two suspects in the stolen Durangos later triggered a shelter-in-place order at Oakland University, as authorities feared they may have been armed and on the campus. A witness later claimed to have seen people fitting the suspect's description leaving the area, and the order was lifted hours later.
The sole security guard on site was not able to provide an accurate description of the thieves, in part due to the intensity of the situation. While theft from dealer lots is "not uncommon," according to police, this incident was notable for the gunfire exchanged between the suspects and security on site. No reports have surfaced of gunshot injuries from the event.
Two suspects were apprehended by police, with authorities believing the heist to be the work of an organized car-theft ring. Police are unclear as to the identity of the group, but suspect the crew is based in Detroit. Seven of the thirteen stolen vehicles were eventually recovered in Oakland county and the Detroit metro area.
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