A metro Detroit theft ring that targeted construction companies and building sites in western Michigan is likely responsible for more than $1 million in stolen property, investigators said.
A lengthy investigation involving numerous police agencies led to five arrests in Detroit and Pontiac.
The five defendants ranging in age from 22 to 51 face multiple charges, including operating a continuing criminal enterprise. The felony offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
“This involved a lot of effort by a lot of police agencies to stop this theft ring, which had been working for more than a year,’’ Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said. “There were multiple victims in three states.’’
Investigators say at least 50 thefts have been linked to the group. Most of the thefts occurred in Michigan, although they also ventured into Ohio and Indiana.
They targeted construction equipment, including trailers, skid steers, tools and trucks.
Two of the men were caught on surveillance video using a stolen truck to steal a trailer at a construction business in Kent County’s Byron Township. Losses in Kent County alone are estimated at $600,000.
The suspects are identified in surveillance video and “were seen conducting multiple thefts at many locations throughout the state of Michigan,’’ police wrote in court records.
At least six thefts occurred in Kent County and six in Ottawa County. Other locations hit include Frankenmuth, Fremont, Imlay City, Midland and Taylor, court documents show.
“I think it was places where they could drive in a weekend,’’ LaJoye-Young said. “They were doing this largely on weekends and they were going for easy targets.’’
The first Kent County theft tied to the group occurred last June in the Caledonia area. Another followed in September. Similar construction site thefts were happening on weekends elsewhere in Michigan.
“We began sensing a trend,’’ LaJoye-Young said.
Sheriff’s department intelligence analyst Jason Cramer combed through raw data and, working with Detective Dustin Cook, pieced together similarities between the thefts here and elsewhere in Michigan, LaJoye-Young said.
“So we were working very hard to try to see if it was connected to other cases from other departments,’’ she said. “And we started to realize there was a bigger picture of events; a pattern that had emerged.’’
After months of investigation, police arrested the five in Detroit and Pontiac. They were brought to Kent County to face numerous felony charges tied to the operation.
Those charged are:
- Hillie Larince Childers, 51, of Pontiac
- Tina Marie Donovan, 44, of Pontiac
- Justine Allen McMahon, 22, of Detroit
- Jason Lee Newsome, 28, of Detroit
- William Douglas-Lee Larue, 23, of Detroit
Larue waived his probable cause hearing Wednesday, sending the felony case to Kent County Circuit Court.
His four co-defendants will return to 63rd District Court on July 10 to hear evidence against them. Each is being held in the Kent County Jail on a $200,000 bond.
LaJoye-Young said some of the stolen property was recovered, but a lot of the items were likely sold.
“They fence it, they sell it on the black market someplace,’’ she said. “We know for sure it was well over $1 million in property that we were able to 100 percent tie back to this group.’’