DETROIT (WWJ) - Two men who police say were responsible for roughly 10% of car thefts in Detroit last year are behind bars after they allegedly stole over 800 vehicles in separate criminal enterprises.
The Detroit Police Department's organized crime unit investigated the incidents and linked hundreds of car thefts to Kevin Reid III, 25 and Terry Williams, 31, who authorities said ran car theft rings independently of each other.
"(Reid) admitted to being part of 500 stolen cars just last year," Detroit Police Cmdr. Eric Decker said, via FOX 2. "Kind of the middle man on Instagram. You go steal this car, I'll give you a few bucks and sell then I'll sell it down here."
While Reid would put together the vehicle thefts and then sell the stolen cars in other states, Williams targeted catalytic converters.
"Probably almost every day he'd go out and steal a car, take it to another location, cut off the catalytic converter on it, then sell that," Decker said.
Police say Williams, who works for the auto industry, is responsible for over 300 car thefts and would rake in $1,200 per catalytic converter he cut off.
"If they spend as much time being a thief as they did doing something legitimate, they'd probably be very successful," Decker said. "Unfortunately, there are more like them."
The police department said both men have extensive criminal histories and are now facing charges of conducting a criminal enterprise and receiving and concealing stolen property in the most current bust.
Reid was charged with using a computer to commit a crime and fleeing and eluding, while Williams faces additional charges of weapons offenses and larceny.
A judge ordered a $5,000 cash bond for Williams and Reid was given a personal bond and was released with a GPS tether.
"Hopefully when it comes around, the judges look at all that money, the millions of dollars, and actually bring the hammer down," Decker said.
Related
