KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Dashcam video from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office shows a stolen SUV crashing into another vehicle on East Beltline and Burton. Five people can be seen running from the scene. Police arrested three teenagers, and two are still at large.
A loaded handgun was found on one of the teens arrested.
The driver of the other vehicle, a 25-year-old man from Grand Rapids, is expected to be released from the hospital.
The sheriff’s office has confirmed that the SUV was stolen from a neighborhood off of Village Springs DR SE in Ada around 6:30 Thursday morning, after the owner had left the keys inside the vehicle.
According to police, car thefts are becoming more common not just in Grand Rapids, but in Kent County as well.
As of June this year 615 vehicle thefts have taken place in Grand Rapids alone, almost 100 more than this time last year. 187 thefts have occurred in the rest of Kent County this year.
In Kent County last year 358 vehicle thefts took place, compared to just 139 back in 2019.
Sergeant Eric Brunner from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office says when a vehicle is stolen, they are concerned for what can follow.
“That vehicle was spotted near the parking lot of a planet fitness and the East beltline and 28th Street area, which is a concern because as we’ve seen over time, the stolen vehicles are often used in shootings, larceny from vehicles in fitness center parking lots, and sometimes those people those suspects can be armed.”
Kias and Hyundais have been the most vulnerable to theft, with GRPD saying there have been 363 Kia and Hyundai thefts and attempted thefts this year, with 765 taking place in 2022. Kent County Sheriff’s Office says are continuing to curb these thefts and bring resolution to the many victims of these crimes.
Car theft is a crime of opportunity, and be best prevented by locking your doors, taking keys and valuables inside, and also using a steering wheel lock for drivers of Kias and Hyundais.
Dashcam video shows a stolen SUV crashing into another vehicle, and five young people running away from the scene.