A Michigan father, his two sons and a Ford employee were arrested after police uncovered a multimillion-dollar theft ring that siphoned brand-new vehicle parts off Ford assembly lines that were later resold on eBay for more than two years, authorities said.
The four men were taken into custody on May 6 during coordinated raids across Dearborn, Canton and Detroit following a months-long investigation, according to Fox 2 TV.
Dearborn Police said the family worked with the Ford employee, who was based in Canton, to funnel stolen parts into Detroit businesses that resold the components online and through local auto shops.
The identities of the arrested individuals were not revealed pending an official indictment that is to be handed down by Wayne County prosecutors.
“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 told the Detroit Free Press.
Investigators said the operation involved removing parts directly from Ford’s Rouge Complex in Dearborn, the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne and the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock.
Those factories produce the F-150, Bronco, Ranger and Mustang — four of Ford’s highest-demand models.
Police said the thieves targeted high-value items including bumpers, hoods, running boards, headlights and taillights.
The sheer volume of the recovered contraband stunned detectives.
“When we executed a search warrant at one of the shops in Detroit, from the floor to the ceiling it was stacked with brand-new auto parts,” Shahin said.
Search warrants were executed at two Detroit businesses and at homes in Dearborn and Canton.
Videos recorded during the raids showed pallets labeled “Property of Ford” being removed from a warehouse near West Chicago, where officers found stacks of bumpers and hoods lined against the walls.
Ford’s internal security team helped investigators by flagging significant inventory discrepancies across multiple plants, prompting law enforcement officials to expand the scope of the probe.
Detectives then linked missing serialized parts to components recovered during the commercial raids.
The four individuals arrested face possible charges including grand theft auto, racketeering and operating a criminal enterprise.
Lars Weborg, a Ford representatives, acknowledged the company’s role in the investigation, telling local media: “We are grateful to law enforcement for their collaborative efforts.”
Investigators have not disclosed how the components were physically removed from the factories, though the volume of stolen goods suggests that those responsible had continued access to restricted areas.
Shahin said the local businesses that were involved in reselling the stolen auto parts were shut down during the raids and could remain closed through the duration of the investigation.
He said the department is “working with all of our partners to see if we can shut them down permanently.”
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