Suspect in Detroit area crime spree was arrested twice before — and he's only 13 years old

A 13-year-old boy is facing a 16-count juvenile petition after a crime spree involving car thefts in Pontiac, according to Michigan police.Deputies were called to the used car dealership on Cesar Chavez Avenue over a report of a break-in on Sunday.That dealership was broken into, and two other cars were damaged after someone tried unsuccessfully steal them at a nearby dollar store.Officers found that a Dodge Dart had been stolen and a Dodge Charger had been heavily damaged after a break-in at the business, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.Members of the Oakland County Auto Theft Task Force connected the incident to another theft of two vehicles from a landscaping company in Pontiac.On Sept. 19, a Chevrolet pickup truck was stolen from that business and rammed through a fenced parking lot.On Sept. 20, a Dodge Ram was stolen from the property and driven to the Cesar Chavez Avenue dealership.Surveillance video from the dealership captured a person breaking a window and entering inside, where keys were stolen. That person stole the Charger and tried to ram the gate to escape, but only succeeded in damaging the car and making it inoperable.Then the person abandoned the car, stole the Dart, and drove to Watergate, where he rammed the car into another dealership.That dealership was broken into, and two other cars were damaged after someone tried unsuccessfully steal them at a nearby dollar store.Investigators said they identified their suspect, a 13-year-old boy, from the footage from numerous surveillance video systems.That suspect had been arrested twice in 2025 for auto thefts in Waterford as well as Pontiac.RELATED: 16-year-old arrested for shooting and killing 15-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother The teen was transported to the Oakland County Children’s Village.The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office will review the 16-count petition against the teen. The investigation into the crime spree is ongoing.Pontiac is a suburb of Detroit. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!