3 men charged for stealing more than 25 vehicles in Metro Detroit

(CBS DETROIT) – Three men are facing charges after police say they stole more than 25 vehicles in the Metro Detroit area.

According to the Bloomfield Township Police Department, Raphael Smith, 29, Demerius Hollis, 30, and Samuel Bender Jr., 32, were charged with motor vehicle theft, larceny of personal property from a vehicle, burglary, illegal use of a credit card, and larceny of a firearm. 

The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office is also charging them with conducting a criminal enterprise.

Smith and Hollis were arraigned in Oakland County Sixth District Court and were given a $1 million bond, whereas Bender received a $300,000 bond after being arraigned in Oakland County 48th District Court.

The three men were allegedly involved in a crime spree between October 2022 and January 2023, in which they were responsible for hundreds of property thefts.

Police say investigators identified Bender as a suspect after use of a stolen credit card. Surveillance videos identified Smith and Hollis as occupants in several stolen vehicles.

Smith and Hollis were taken into custody on Dec. 29, 2022, after police conducted multiple search warrants at homes in Detroit. Bender was arrested in January in by Bloomfield police.

During the search, investigators uncovered stolen property and seven stolen handguns.

“This was a complex case that was closed due to the exceptional effort of the Troy Special Investigations Unit. The Special Investigations Unit is comprised of officers from the Auburn Hills Police Department, Birmingham Police Department, Bloomfield Township Police Department, Royal Oak Police Department, and Troy Police Department,” Bloomfield police said in a press release. 

“These investigators work together in a collaborative, multi-jurisdictional unit that investigates criminal activity impacting the region. We would also like to recognize the collaborative efforts of Canton Police Department, Livonia Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, and Michigan State Police.”

Police say law enforcement agencies in Metro Detroit are still seeing an influx in auto thefts and larcenies.