MONROE COUNTY (WWJ) – Three teen boys are behind bars after allegedly crashing a stolen Jeep during a police chase in Monroe County over the weekend.
It all began around 1:30 a.m. when the sheriff's department got a call from the Monroe Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM Superstore security monitoring service after finding two people looking into cars on the lot in Monroe Township.
Moments after a deputy showed up to the car lot, a white Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT was seen leaving, headed south on S. Dixie Highway. Two deputies tried to pull the Jeep over, but the suspects took off.
The chase continued south on Dixie until the Jeep turned west onto Albain Road. The deputies lost sight of the suspect vehicle a short time later in Ida Township.
Deputies, Michigan State Police troopers and an officer with the Dundee Police Department began canvassing the area for the Jeep. A few minutes later they found it on northbound US-23 exiting at M-50/Tecumseh Street.
Before deputies could catch up to the Jeep, officials say the suspect crashed while trying to negotiate the exit ramp. The three suspects got out of the Jeep and ran from the scene.
Thanks to the help of a K-9 unit and a drone, the suspects were soon found in the area of Sherlock Forrest on Rawson Street and deputies and troopers "flooded the area of the apartment complex," officials said in a press release.
When they approached the suspects, they again ran away, but were taken into custody a short time later.
After the arrests, investigators learned the Jeep had recently been stolen out of Port Huron.
The suspects — a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds, all from Saginaw — were held at the Monroe County Youth Center on numerous charges. Due to their ages, their names are not being released.
As the case remains under investigation, officials are asking anyone who knows something about the stolen Jeep or the incident at the car lot in Monroe to contact the Sheriff's Office at 734-240-7738.
