CALEDONIA (WWJ) — A young Detroit woman is behind bars after allegedly stealing a pickup truck from a West Michigan car dealership early Monday morning.
The 19-year-old was allegedly part of a group of suspects who stole at least three vehicles from Comodo Motors in Caledonia — about 20 miles south of Grand Rapids — and led authorities on a multi-county chase that exceeded 100 mph.
It all unfolded just before 2 a.m. on Dec. 9, according to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, when the owner of the dealership saw on his security cameras that multiple suspects were stealing cars.
Deputies who responded to the call saw five vehicles leaving the dealership: a blue Dodge Challenger, a black Chevy Corvette and a black Dodge Ram 1500 TRX — all confirmed to have been stolen from the Comodo — along with a black Challenger and a white Jeep.
The sheriff’s office said the other two vehicles were “also presumed stolen.”
All five vehicles fled the dealership north towards M-6, leading to a multi-jurisdictional chase. Deputies were able to use stop sticks on Broadmoor Avenue to partially disable the blue Challenger, according to the sheriff’s office.
The car continued for a while until coming to a stop near M-6 and I-96, where the suspect got out and jumped in the white Jeep, officials said. The chase then continued into Ionia County until deputies lost sight of the Jeep, with the driver reaching speeds exceeding 100 mph, officials said.
Authorities did, however, arrest the 19-year-old Detroit woman and the Dodge Ram was recovered. Police in Livingston County later found the Corvette, which had been abandoned.
“We are thankful that no one was injured as a result of the suspects' reckless driving. The safety of our community remains our top priority. We appreciate the cooperation and swift response from our neighboring law enforcement partners, which underscores our commitment to ensuring public safety and holding those responsible accountable,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Anyone who knows something about the stolen vehicles is asked to call the Kent County Sheriff’s Office at 616-632-6125 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 to report tips anonymously.
The sheriff's office did not release the Detroit woman's name and no charging information has been released.
Officials did not release a description of any of the four other suspects involved in the alleged thefts.