A Ford Motor Co. employee is among four individuals arrested in connection with a large-scale theft operation involving Ford vehicle parts, according to a news release from the Dearborn, MI, Police Department.
The arrests, made on May 6, followed a months-long investigation into allegations that the employee stole new vehicle components from several Ford facilities and supplied them to a Detroit-based business for resale. Investigators executed search warrants at multiple locations, including residences in Dearborn and Canton and two businesses in Detroit.
Police believe the stolen parts came from Ford’s Rouge Complex in Dearborn, the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, and the Flat Rock Assembly Plant. Items reported stolen include hoods, bumpers, running boards, headlights and headlight assemblies, among others, Dearborn Public Information Officer Dan Bartok told the Detroit Free Press.
The identities of the suspects have not yet been released, pending formal charges from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities are continuing to assess the full extent of the alleged operation.
“These arrests were made possible through the diligent and sophisticated work of our investigative units and with the help and cooperation of the Ford Motor Company Global Security," Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said in the news release. “Such criminal plots will not be tolerated in Dearborn and we will employ all resources to bring them down.”
Ford confirmed its involvement in supporting the investigation. “We are grateful to law enforcement for their collaborative efforts,” said Ford spokesperson Lars Weborg in a statement to the Free Press.
