Man Arrested In Connection With Multiple Wayne County Car Thefts

DEARBORN, MI — A Detroit man was arrested in connection with multiple car thefts throughout Wayne County in the summer of 2023, according to Dearborn Police.

Tyree Perry Lacey was charged with nine felonies related to widespread vehicle theft, including conducting a criminal enterprise. He was given a $250,000 bond with a GPS tether. His next court date was scheduled for Tuesday.

Last summer, multiple metro Detroit communities, including Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Livonia, Lincoln Park and Detroit, focused their investigation on a single person after multiple Chevy Trailblazer and GMC Envoy-type vehicles were stolen in Wayne County, police said.

Investigators from the agencies used case reports and surveillance camera footage to identify Lacey as the suspected car thief, police said.

Investigators with the Southeast Michigan Auto Crimes Consortium (a multi-jurisdictional auto theft task force of police departments from Dearborn, Livonia, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, Garden City, and the Michigan State Police) executed a search of his Detroit home on Nov. 22 and found multiple stolen vehicles, VIN plates, car parts and key fobs, along with fraudulent documents and a gun.

"Motor vehicle thefts continue to affect communities across the region. This joint task force is instrumental, especially in cases such as this where individuals are highly organized and responsible for many thefts," Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said.

The findings of the investigation were announced during a news conference in Dearborn with local and state law enforcement officials, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud and Police Chief Shahin and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

"I am proud of the efforts of Chief Shahin, the Dearborn Police Department, and our partners through the SMACC to identify those involved in organized vehicle theft in our region. The progress made in this case is a testament to the strength of this multi-city partnership and what can be accomplished for community and public safety when we collectively work together as a region," Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud said.