An 85-year-old man was roughed up near the JC Penney at Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn as two teenagers allegedly tried to steal his car, according to police. The suspects, ages 13 and 15, didn't get far — a police drone tracked them down shortly after the attempted carjacking, according to authorities.
According to FOX 2 Detroit, Dearborn Police identified the two suspects as a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old who allegedly attacked the elderly victim in an attempt to take his vehicle near the mall's JC Penney entrance. Police say the teens fled the scene, but officers deployed the department's aerial drone system to locate them, and the aircraft helped officers track down the pair soon after.
The arrest is the latest example of Dearborn's Drone as First Responder program doing exactly what city officials designed it to do. Dearborn became the first municipality in Michigan to roll out a full-scale DFR program, placing Skydio drones at launch sites across the city capable of reaching any location within two and a half minutes, according to DroneXL.
A Pattern of Drone-Assisted Arrests
This isn't the first time the technology has helped officers close out a chase quickly. The same system was credited with tracking down a home invasion suspect hiding in bushes two weeks ago, and it was used in September to catch suspects fleeing an attempted vehicle theft, per ClickOnDetroit. Hoodline previously covered that bushes case in detail, and also reported on an April incident where the drone fleet helped officers find vehicle theft suspects in under a minute.
The drones aren't operating in isolation. Dearborn integrated its aerial system into a Real Time Information Center launched in February, using FUSUS software to pull together live feeds from local surveillance cameras and aerial drones, according to footage shared by the city. Dispatchers use that hub to direct patrol units on the ground in real time during active calls.
Michigan's Carjacking and Elder Abuse Statutes
Whatever charges the teens ultimately face could carry serious weight under Michigan law. Carjacking is classified as a felony punishable by up to life imprisonment under Michigan Compiled Laws Section 750.529a, according to the Michigan Legislature, which defines the crime to include acts occurring during an attempted larceny of a motor vehicle involving force or violence — meaning the teens would not need to have successfully stolen the car to face the charge.
Separately, physical abuse or assault of a vulnerable adult — defined under state law as someone 18 or older who lacks self-care skills due to age or physical impairment — carries penalties ranging from misdemeanors up to 15 years in prison under MCL 750.145n. Prosecutors typically weigh intent and the severity of physical injury when determining the degree of any charge filed in such cases.
Because the suspects are 13 and 15 years old, their cases would typically fall under the family division of circuit court. However, state law under MCL 769.1 allows prosecutors to seek adult designations or waivers for serious felony offenses, meaning it remains to be seen how the suspects will ultimately be charged.
Mall Already Under Scrutiny After Deadly Shooting
The incident adds to a string of safety concerns at Fairlane Town Center this year. The mall was the site of a deadly shooting on July 3, when an argument between two groups escalated into gunfire, leaving two young men dead and a third injured, according to CBS News. That shooting triggered a SWAT response and a temporary mall closure.
In response to concerns about youth-involved incidents in public spaces, the City of Dearborn and its police department established temporary youth curfews for minors under 17 around major holidays in June, empowering officers to detain unaccompanied juveniles in public areas after 10 p.m. Parents can face citations if their children breach the curfew.
The mall itself has also faced financial turmoil. Fairlane Town Center's owner, Kohan Retail Investment Group, has been tangled in foreclosure proceedings and lender lawsuits tied to a $28 million loan default and delinquent property taxes stretching from late 2023 into this year, Hoodline previously reported.
Part of a Broader Decline in Violent Crime
Dearborn officials have pointed to the drone program and other technology as factors behind a broader drop in violent crime across the city. In February, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and Police Chief Issa Shahin announced a 14% annual decrease in violent crimes such as robberies and assaults, part of a cumulative 20% drop over two years that Hoodline reported at the time, with officials crediting expanded staffing and public safety technology.
Whether mall management plans to add private security measures alongside police patrols in the wake of the latest incident remains unclear. It is also not yet known whether prosecutors intend to pursue juvenile or adult charges against the two suspects in the Fairlane Town Center attack.
