2 Men Arrested in Ferndale Suspected in Dealership Car Theft Scams

Ferndale Police arrested two men suspected of posing as customers at a car dealership asking for a test drive in an attempt to steal a vehicle.

Around 11:35 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to the at 21800 Woodward Ave. on a report that two people posing as customers were trying to take a vehicle out for a supposed test drive in a possible attempt to steal the car.

The dealership had received a notice from the GM corporate office that suspects matching the description of the two men at the dealership had previously stolen another car by claiming to want a test drive and then not returning with the vehicle, according to a report from Ferndale Police.

Employees at the Suburban dealership thought the suspects came to the Ferndale dealership driving a previously stolen Chevy HHR.

As a police officer arrived at the dealership, the men left down a side street on foot. The officer approached the men and stopped one of them and began walking him to the patrol car. When he called for the other suspect, the first man broke free and ran away. The second man was taken into custody while officers chased the other man and caught him in a residential backyard.

Ferndale officers arrested the men, each of whom had identification belonging to other people. Ferndale Police recovered the HHR that was stolen from Hamilton Chevrolet in Warren on April 10. The suspects are being investigated for several similar thefts of vehicles involving similar scams that occurred at Metro Detroit dealers.

Both men are expected to be arraigned Thursday on Ferndale charges as investigation continues for other crimes they are suspected of committing. One of the men will be arraigned for identity theft, a five-year felony, for using someone else's ID to take a car for a test drive. Charges were being sought for the other suspect for resisting police.

Both men have extensive criminal histories with several felony convictions, according to Ferndale Police.