UPDATE: Police and FCA report that the correct number of stolen Ram trucks was eight. Two of them were later recovered — a red truck that apparently ran out of gas, and a white truck that was discovered behind an abandoned building in Detroit. Neither of those trucks showed damage from breaking through the factory gate. Police are now investigating the raid as a possible inside job by current or former employees.
"We do believe there was a good possibility that there was inside information given to the persons responsible for the thefts," Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer told the Detroit Free Press.
"That would include possibly a former or current employee. Obviously they knew where they were going, what they were looking for, what area to cut the fence and get into the lot where vehicles were parked. This was not a random, all-of-a-sudden thought or idea. It was well-planned for probably several weeks."
Previous story appears below:
Thursday morning, a group of thieves broke into the grounds of Fiat-Chrysler's truck assembly plant in Warren, Mich., where the Ram 1500 is built, and stole roughly 10 brand-new trucks, according to the Detroit Free Press. The newspaper reports that the thieves drove to up a fence in a pickup truck and cut through to get on the property. They then gathered up trucks and drove right out through the main gates. With a starting price of just over $33,000 for a base Ram 1500, the thieves got away with at least $300,000 worth of trucks.
The trucks have yet to be found, and it might still be a while. Warren Police Department Commissioner Bill Dwyer told Detroit Free Press that they haven't received any tips on the vehicles. "We have absolutely nothing," said Dwyer. "Why aren't they calling me? We can't do an investigation if they're not working with us." They're still waiting on FCA to give them a list of the trucks' VINs and colors, as well as an exact number instead of the current estimate of 9 to 11.
It's not clear if the keys were in the trucks, but an FCA spokesperson told the Free Press, "The company will be assessing security measures at the location and implementing any necessary changes to prevent future incidents."
Dwyer said that the heist "was well-planned," and that the vehicles have probably been taken to a pre-arranged location such as a warehouse. It was likely part of an order for stolen trucks, but it's not clear if a crime ring or syndicate is involved. "We're calling it the mass order business," Dwyer said, noting that this type of theft "is a statewide issue."
As such, anyone with any information is encouraged to reach out to Warren police. They can be reached at 586-574-4877, and Detroit Free Press reports the department is offering a reward around $1,000 for info leading to recovery of vehicles and arrest of criminals. Another option for providing information related to the theft is HEAT, Michigan's organization to "help eliminate auto theft." The organization can be reached at 1-800-242-HEAT. The HEAT website also notes that tips leading toward the arrest of thieves can yield a reward of up to $1,000.
"It has been my experience that when you offer these rewards, people come forward," said Dwyer. "Money talks."
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"We do believe there was a good possibility that there was inside information given to the persons responsible for the thefts," Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer told the Detroit Free Press.
"That would include possibly a former or current employee. Obviously they knew where they were going, what they were looking for, what area to cut the fence and get into the lot where vehicles were parked. This was not a random, all-of-a-sudden thought or idea. It was well-planned for probably several weeks."
Previous story appears below:
Thursday morning, a group of thieves broke into the grounds of Fiat-Chrysler's truck assembly plant in Warren, Mich., where the Ram 1500 is built, and stole roughly 10 brand-new trucks, according to the Detroit Free Press. The newspaper reports that the thieves drove to up a fence in a pickup truck and cut through to get on the property. They then gathered up trucks and drove right out through the main gates. With a starting price of just over $33,000 for a base Ram 1500, the thieves got away with at least $300,000 worth of trucks.
The trucks have yet to be found, and it might still be a while. Warren Police Department Commissioner Bill Dwyer told Detroit Free Press that they haven't received any tips on the vehicles. "We have absolutely nothing," said Dwyer. "Why aren't they calling me? We can't do an investigation if they're not working with us." They're still waiting on FCA to give them a list of the trucks' VINs and colors, as well as an exact number instead of the current estimate of 9 to 11.
It's not clear if the keys were in the trucks, but an FCA spokesperson told the Free Press, "The company will be assessing security measures at the location and implementing any necessary changes to prevent future incidents."
Dwyer said that the heist "was well-planned," and that the vehicles have probably been taken to a pre-arranged location such as a warehouse. It was likely part of an order for stolen trucks, but it's not clear if a crime ring or syndicate is involved. "We're calling it the mass order business," Dwyer said, noting that this type of theft "is a statewide issue."
As such, anyone with any information is encouraged to reach out to Warren police. They can be reached at 586-574-4877, and Detroit Free Press reports the department is offering a reward around $1,000 for info leading to recovery of vehicles and arrest of criminals. Another option for providing information related to the theft is HEAT, Michigan's organization to "help eliminate auto theft." The organization can be reached at 1-800-242-HEAT. The HEAT website also notes that tips leading toward the arrest of thieves can yield a reward of up to $1,000.
"It has been my experience that when you offer these rewards, people come forward," said Dwyer. "Money talks."
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