Crime & Safety

Suspects Arraigned in Alleged Ferndale Car Dealership Test Drive Scam

The two men are suspected of posing as customers at Suburban Buick GMC in an attempt to steal a vehicle.

The two men suspected of posing as customers at a Ferndale car dealership asking for a test drive in an attempt to steal a vehicle earlier this week were arraigned Thursday in .

Alvin Sheffield-Gordy Harris, 31, was arraigned on a charge of identity theft, a five-year felony, and was being held on a $10,000 bond. Bruce Eugene Rutledge, 31, pled guilty to resisting police and was sentenced to 75 days.

Around 11:35 a.m. Tuesday, Ferndale police said they 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.

Find out what's happening in Ferndalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The dealership had received a notice from the GM corporate office that men 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 Ferndale Police report.

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

Find out what's happening in Ferndalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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 – Rutledge – 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 have extensive criminal histories with several felony convictions, according to Ferndale Police.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.