The suspected car thief notices the evasive vehicle running, approaches the driver's side door, and gets into the vehicle. (Screenshot courtesy of Brownstown Township Police Department)
A man walking on the sidewalk in the 1900 block of Cascade is seen on his home surveillance camera passing an unoccupied 2014 Dodge Dart. Then something caught his attention – the ignition was on.
Within seconds, he backed up and moved to the driver's side door.
After a quick glance over his shoulder, he opened the door and stepped back toward the street.
As the car was about to start, a man who appeared to be the car's owner came out of the house, trotted after the car, and stopped at the end of the driveway with a look of disbelief on its face.
It all became clear on Monday morning.
When police arrived at the home, the owner of the car told officers that he “just ran inside the house a little bit to grab something and then continued driving, leaving the keys in the car.” .
Police say the man was so incredulous that he thought his brother had driven away, before realizing his brother was actually inside the house.
County police posted a clip of surveillance footage of the car theft to their social media accounts and asked anyone who knew the man or had information about the theft to call the detective bureau.
Deputy Police Chief Andrew Starzek said a fairly active investigation ensued.
The owner left his cell phone inside the Dart, and police tracked the car for some time through the device.
A suspected car thief threw a cell phone out of a car in Monroe County, police said.
they were able to get it back.
Shortly thereafter, the stolen Pontiac was discovered, and police believe the person who stole it was still driving the car.
The driver was arrested and charged with theft.
Starzek said.
The police department's post was updated the next day to say the vehicle had been recovered.
He said it's not yet clear whether the thief suspect will be charged with town theft as well as receiving stolen property in the Pontiac.
Starzek said he later learned that Southgate police also had an incident with the man in connection with the assault.