"It’s like a Grand Theft Auto video game is the best I can compare this enterprise to."
That's how Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel described the crimes a "prolific" auto-theft ring that the Troy Police Department said has been wreaking havoc across Southeast Michigan and border states since last August.
AG Dana Nessel & police speak on bust of Troy car theft ring
The ring is believed to be responsible for over 400 cars being stolen and worth approximately $8 million.
Executive Director of Detroit Auto Dealers Association, Rod Alberts said, "I’ve been doing this job for 30 years now, and in my time I’ve never seen such bold and brazen thefts from new car auto dealerships."
Six of the crime ring leaders were arrested Wednesday, all of them young, in their late teens to early 20s.
Law enforcement said they believe there to be possibly 20 suspects still on our streets, the youngest of which they said is just 11 years old.
Nessel said the cars stolen are, "Sold at a dramatic fraction of their true value, sometimes a couple thousand dollars for a brand new $60,000, $70,000, or $80,000 vehicle."
The cars were stolen from pedestrians and dealerships.
How?
Law enforcement showed us a "pro-pad" that they said was supposed to be used by a locksmith, but the thieves were using it to re-program the cars' electrical systems.
They said the thieves would program their own key fob to open and start the car, which allowed them to steal the car and then the owner of the car's key fob no longer worked.
Among the many local dealerships hit by the thieves was the Bob Maxey Dealership in Detroit.
They gave us the video above of the thieves breaking in saying the impact was devastating, they were hit 5 times this winter, and the thieves stole a total of 20 cars from them.
When asked how that affected the business financially, Robert Maxey the general sales manager said, "You can’t put a number on it."
Maxey shared that their dealership garage doors and windows were destroyed, cars customers waited nearly a year for were gone overnight.
He, as well as hundreds of others in our communities, looks forward to the day the rest of the suspects are arrested.
"I hope that it can continue going on so this stops all over the place," said Maxey. "I know countless other dealerships affected as well."
Attorney General Dana Nessel had a message for the other suspects still out there.
Thursday she said, "We know who you are, we know where you’ve been and what you’ve done, and we’re coming for you next."
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Troy PD busts 'prolific' auto-theft ring responsible for over 400 cars being stolen - WXYZ 7 Action News Detroit
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