Detroit police are asking for the public's help identifying three suspects wanted in connection with a stolen car and a string of vehicle break-ins that stretched across the city this summer, including a case where stolen credit cards were later used at two different businesses. Investigators say the crimes span at least three locations and several weeks, and a $1,000 reward is on the table for anyone who can help move the case forward.
The first incident traces back to May 28, when a gray 2016 Mazda CX-3 was reported stolen from a home in the 5200 block of Avery, according to police cited by ClickOnDetroit. Police say the vehicle-related crimes occurred at several locations around Detroit, and investigators have connected that theft to two more break-ins that followed roughly a week and a half later.
On June 6, police say suspects attempted to break into a vehicle parked in the 500 block of Griswold. The following day, June 7, a vehicle was broken into in the 100 block of Michigan Avenue, where it was damaged and credit cards were reportedly stolen and later used, per police. That same day, another vehicle in the 500 block of Griswold was broken into and damaged, though police say no items were reported missing from that vehicle.
Stolen Cards Spent at Two Businesses
Police say the credit cards taken during the Michigan Avenue break-in were used at two separate businesses following the theft. Detroit police describe three suspects as wanted for the stolen vehicle, the vehicle break-ins, and the use of the stolen credit cards, and they're asking anyone who recognizes the pictured suspects, or who has any information, to contact investigators.
The case sits within Detroit Police Department's 3rd Precinct, which is headquartered at 2875 W. Grand Blvd. and covers neighborhoods including Woodbridge, Midtown, and parts of Downtown Detroit, according to the City of Detroit. All three crime locations named in this case fall within or near that precinct's boundaries, which is why its detective unit is handling the investigation.
A Familiar Pattern of Predawn Break-Ins
This is not the first time 3rd Precinct detectives have chased down a similar case. In a predawn pickup truck heist reported in March, DPD investigated a break-in in the 1400 block of Holden Street where credit cards and personal items were stolen from a parked GMC Sierra, and detectives similarly released surveillance images and posted a reward through Detroit Rewards TV. Research highlighted by public safety organizations in 2026 notes that financial devices and personal property stolen during vehicle break-ins are often rapidly funneled into broader fraudulent networks or street crime, which helps explain why police prioritize these cases even when there's no violent confrontation.
The numbers behind these incidents point to a citywide trend. Crime statistics analyzed by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan found that between 2020 and 2024, larceny-thefts in Detroit rose 33 percent and motor vehicle thefts jumped 44 percent, giving Detroit the highest motor vehicle theft rate among regional peer cities in 2024. In response, Mayor Mary Sheffield directed the Detroit Police Department last year to establish dedicated Property Crime Squads across all 12 city precincts, aiming to increase visible patrols in commercial and residential corridors hit hardest by these thefts.
Frustration Fuels Grassroots Tracking Efforts
Reporting from June 2025 found that Detroit auto theft victims frequently turn to online grassroots community groups with more than 50,000 members to track down stolen property, citing delays in police response to non-violent property crimes, according to BridgeDetroit. Residents in some cases have used a stolen vehicle's built-in GPS to locate it themselves before officers can respond, the outlet reported.
These local break-ins also fit into a wider regional crackdown. Multi-jurisdictional task forces, including the Michigan Attorney General's FORCE Team, have charged multiple auto theft rings across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties over the past two years, targeting crews accused of stealing hundreds of vehicles and vehicle components, as detailed in Hoodline's coverage of a recent Ecorse auto theft arrest. State prosecutors have increasingly leaned on criminal enterprise statutes carrying penalties of up to 20 years in those larger cases.
What Suspects Could Face If Caught
Under Michigan Penal Code Section 750.356a, breaking into a motor vehicle to steal property carries penalties ranging from a 93-day misdemeanor for property valued under $200 up to a 5-year felony and $10,000 fine for high-value thefts or stolen electronic equipment, according to Grabel & Associates. Separately, using someone else's credit card or financial transaction device without consent is automatically a felony under Michigan law, punishable by up to four years in prison for each fraudulent charge, per Section 750.157n.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Detroit Police Department's 3rd Precinct Detective Unit at 313-596-1340, or to submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or via DetroitRewards.tv. Tips submitted through Crime Stoppers ahead of direct police contact remain eligible for the $1,000 reward Detroit police are offering for information that helps advance the investigation.
