Authorities have charged an ex-Ford employee and three others, alleging they stole millions of dollars worth of car parts from various Ford factories in the Detroit area. The goods then were reportedly sold to local auto shops or listed for sale on eBay. Headlight.News has more.
Authorities haven’t explained how the thieves could sneak parts like hoods and bumpers out of Ford plants.
When authorities raided two Detroit area homes and a pair of local businesses they discovered stacks of car parts – everything from hoods to headlights – allegedly stolen from Ford assembly lines.
Four men, one a former Ford employee, are expected to face charges including grand theft and racketeering. The theft ring was broken up after a lengthy investigation pairing Ford Motor Co.’s security department and police in Dearborn, Michigan, where the automaker is based.
“When we executed a search warrant at one of the shops in Detroit, from the floor to the ceiling, it was stacked with brand-new auto parts,” said Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin.
Parts for popular models
The parts were for popular Ford models like this Bronco SUV.
According to authorities, the thefts had been going on for over two years. While exact details have yet to be released, the former Ford employee allegedly would steal parts from three of the company’s plants in Dearborn, Wayne and Flat Rock, Michigan. The factories produced some of Ford’s most popular models, including the F-150 and Ranger pickups, as well as the Bronco SUV and Mustang coupe.
While some parts were relatively small, such headlights and taillights, the gang reportedly also got their hands on large items, including hoods and bumpers.
There’s a large market for replacement parts which can be sold to repair shops at a discount, or sold through online services, such as eBay, to individual owners looking to make repairs.
Details yet to be released
Dearborn Police Chief Issa Hassain left open the possibility the investigation remains ongoing. Photo courtesy Fox TV.
Authorities have yet to publicly identify the four men arrested in the case, though they were still in custody at the end of last week. They could eventually face charges such as grand theft auto, racketeering, and criminal enterprise charges.
Other details also have yet to be made public, such as how exactly the goods were transported out of the factories. It appears the investigations may still be ongoing, with other individuals and facilities target by investigators. Authorities are “working with all of our partners to see if we can shut them down permanently,” said Shahin.
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A huge market
There’s a multi-billion dollar market for auto parts in the U.S., some stolen, others counterfeited. Authorities say that a large portion of the average one million vehicles stolen in the country each year are taken to “chop shops” where they are stripped of the most valuable parts and then typically abandoned.
While there have been numerous reports of thieves finding ways to steal small amounts of parts from auto factories and warehouses, the size of the Detroit ring took many by surprise.
Authorities have raised concerns that thieves may amp up their efforts as the result of the Trump administrations new tariffs on autos and auto parts.
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