Nearly a dozen brand-new Stellantis vehicles, including Dodge Durangos, Ram pickups and Jeep SUVs, were driven off a third-party storage yard near the Detroit Assembly Complex in a pre-dawn heist that left behind a ripped-open fence and one abandoned SUV. Detroit police say the break-in happened around 3 a.m., and investigators have launched an active probe while Stellantis works with law enforcement. No arrests have been announced, and detectives are asking anyone who might have captured video of the getaway to come forward.
Where it happened
The targeted lot sits near the corner of Conner Street and Mack Avenue on Detroit’s east side, an area long surrounded by auto industry infrastructure and the traffic that comes with it. On-scene video shows large sections of fencing torn out where suspects forced their way in. According to CBS News Detroit, officers arrived to find multiple vehicles gone and the yard itself heavily damaged.
What was taken and recovered
Officials say the missing inventory includes several Dodge Durango models along with Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that had already cleared the assembly line and were staged for shipment to dealers. One Durango did not make it far. It was abandoned after getting stuck in deep snow near the lot and was later recovered, according to reporting by The Auto Wire.
Why storage lots keep getting hit
Security analysts and local outlets note that third-party holding yards can be softer targets than tightly controlled assembly buildings. Vehicles in these lots are often unregistered, spread out over acres of pavement and, in some cases, not yet equipped with active GPS tracking. Coverage in Road & Track and other outlets points to a string of similar thefts around metro Detroit over the past year, suggesting this latest hit is part of a broader trend rather than a one-off stunt.
Investigation and enforcement
Detroit police say detectives are reviewing surveillance footage, following forensic leads and coordinating closely with Stellantis, which has said it is cooperating with investigators, to track the missing vehicles. The theft comes amid ongoing enforcement efforts. Earlier this month the Macomb Auto Theft Squad recovered three stolen vehicles, including a Ram that had been reported taken from a Stellantis plant, and charged a Detroit man, underscoring how active these investigations have become, per the Detroit Free Press.
What residents are saying
Neighbors told reporters that thefts tied to the nearby auto facilities have become a recurring worry and called for more frequent patrols around the plant’s staging yards. Police, for their part, have urged anyone with security footage or information to contact their tip line. For now, the missing vehicles remain unaccounted for as the investigation continues, according to CBS News Detroit.
