Eastpointe police recover stolen vehicles during patrol operation

EASTPOINTE — During a nighttime mission to prevent auto theft and larcenies from vehicles July 19, detectives and undercover agents with the Eastpointe Police Department spotted and recovered two stolen cars, arresting the drivers of each.

At press time, the suspects had not been identified. At least one is a juvenile.

Eastpointe Police Lt. Alexander Holish said they were stopped during a directed patrol operation that was conducted by the Eastpointe Detective Bureau and the Eastpointe Special Investigations Unit. The assignment was focused on preventing vehicle-related crimes.

Both arrests were made after midnight July 19. The first suspect was spotted by an undercover officer at around 3:15 a.m. driving a 2017 Kia Forte south on Gratiot Avenue from Stephens Road.

Holish said a license plate check showed the vehicle had been reported as stolen, so the officers called in fully marked scout cars equipped with lights and sirens, which attempted to pull over the vehicle on Gratiot Avenue near Nine Mile Road.

Rather than slowing down, the suspect reportedly sped up, leading officers on a chase south on Gratiot Avenue, reaching top speeds of 111 miles per hour. Officers followed for about 2 miles, after which the suspect allegedly tried to enter the StoneCrest Center mental health and psychiatric hospital parking lot, only to find the front gate was locked. Upon exiting the vehicle, the suspect was taken into custody without incident.

The other suspect was encountered at around 4:55 a.m. An undercover officer spotted a 2015 Kia Optima in the area of Eight Mile Road and Shakespeare Avenue. A license plate check confirmed this vehicle was stolen, according to police. The undercover officer observed the vehicle entering a subdivision and driving along side streets in a manner that police said suggested the driver was looking for vehicles to steal.

The undercover officer called in fully marked patrol units, which activated their emergency equipment in an attempt to pull over the suspect. But the driver fled here, as well, police said, leading police on a chase that crossed into Detroit. Holish said that the bulk of the chase took place there, lasting about 23 minutes, reaching speeds of up to 105 miles per hour on interstates 94 and 75.

The pursuit finally came to an end when the suspect reportedly pulled onto the eastern curb of Conner Street near I-94. That’s when multiple occupants, along with the driver, reportedly exited the vehicle and tried to run away. Police said they chased them on foot and were able to apprehend the driver several blocks away once he crossed the pedestrian bridge of I-94.

The suspect was identified as a juvenile. He was processed and transported to the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center. Burglary tools were reportedly recovered from the vehicle.

Holish commended the work of the detectives, as well as the undercover agents with the SIU.

“What the SIU does is pretty much handle violent crimes or other high-profile crimes that need extensive investigations,” Holish said. “They’re trained in undercover operations, often in plain clothes and unmarked cars. They’re instrumental in solving many cases.”

He encouraged residents to be vigilant in protecting their vehicles.

“Even though it’s very inconvenient, I recommend steering wheel clubs. Once they’re applied, thieves see them and move on, since it’s very difficult to defeat them and it takes time, and thieves often go for the easy target,” Holish said. “People also got to make sure they lock their vehicles. Unfortunately, many cars that are stolen were left unlocked. And people with push-start vehicles, sometimes they put their keys in the center console or the glove compartment and forget, so when the thief jumps in, they can start it. So always make sure your keys are with you.

“Also try to park in brightly lit areas or in a driveway. Most vehicles that are stolen are usually parked in the streets,” he said. “It’s mostly Kia or Hyundai products being stolen right now, and also SUVs like Trailblazers and Yukons — mostly older models, pre-2010s. But everything is stealable — these are just the trends, since it takes more work to steal newer cars and their equipment.”

No matter the vehicle affected, however, “Eastpointe police takes all crime seriously,” he said.