Detroit carjackings, thefts down from last year, but victims remain frustrated

Both carjackings and auto thefts are down from this time last year in the city of Detroit, but the police department is still inundated with cases, and some victims are frustrated with how these cases can be handled.

Marc O'Rourke from West Bloomfield went to the Detroit Tigers game in downtown Detroit on July 8. He and his friend Kevin Hurley parked near Harry's Detroit Bar and Grill, blocks from Comerica Park. He locked up his car and enjoyed his time at the game but when it was time to go home, his car was gone.

O'Rourke filed a police report and then noticed his car's location show through pings on his phone. At one point, his car was at Belle Isle Park, then on Detroit's east side.

“We saw where it was parked," he said.

Every time he got a location, he called Detroit police, but he hasn't had much luck moving his case along.

“I got a very current ping location for where the car was and I immediately called the precinct that was involved and I couldn’t get anybody to answer the phone. Five, six phone numbers ring, ring, ring no answer," O'Rourke said. "If you call somebody and dispatch doesn’t show up for 24 hours, it’s not likely you’re ever gonna find it.”

The Detroit Police Department says auto thefts and carjackings are down. This time last year, the city was at 168 carjackings; that number is 92 as of Wednesday.

As to car thefts, this time last year, there were over 5,500. And now, the number is at 4,380. But the numbers are still in the thousands, leaving a lot of work for the department.

"Unfortunately, even with the 20% reduction in motor vehicle thefts, we've still had over 4,000 vehicles stolen this year," DPD Commercial Auto Theft Lt. Nathan Miller said. "We love to find a car before damage is done to it and get it back to its owner, save some money for the property for the owner of the car, so insurance rates don't go up and things like that. But it's a challenge."

Detroit police say with many of these cases, they go after bigger fish, meaning shutting down chop shops, or locations where cars go to be dismantled, with their parts sold.

"While it may appear that DPD is not working every case as far as car thefts, what we are doing and what our goal through Commercial Auto Theft section is take those who are responsible for these multiple car thefts to look for these car rings," Detroit Police Cmdr. Ryan Connor said.

While there are less of them than car thefts, carjackings take priority for the department due to their violent nature.

"When somebody uses a gun to force somebody out of a vehicle and take it, that's something that we have to handle in a much different manner than just if somebody leaves their keys in a car in mistake," Miller said. "That's a much more serious offense in the in the state of Michigan. That's an offense that carries a term of life in prison."

Detroit police say many auto thefts are crimes of opportunity, so if you're heading downtown to an event, park in a legal, well-lit parking structure and not on side streets if possible. Make sure to lock your vehicle and keep valuable items out of sight.