Chalk it up as Reason #302 not to leave your car running unattended. Dowagiac Public Safety Director, Steven Grinnewald reports that on Saturday, February 16th, at approximately 6:05pm, Dowagiac police officers were called to the Northside Liquor store in the 600 block of North Front street regarding a stolen vehicle. The victim reported that she had briefly left her car running while she entered the store to make a purchase. She returned to where she had left the vehicle within a couple of minutes and found that it was missing. She immediately called 911 to report the car stolen.
Dowagiac officers responded to the scene to talk to the woman and launch their investigation. The local officers were given a description of the woman’s stolen vehicle.
Shortly thereafter, following dispatch of the stolen car information, a Cass County Sheriff’s deputy spotted it on Dewey Lake street in Wayne Township, approximately five miles north of the city. The deputy attempted to stop the car and a brief pursuit occurred.
Police say that the carjackers fled south on M51 North from Dewey Lake street, but eventually came to a stop near the intersection of M51 North and Elm street. Five teens were arrested at the scene. Two of the teens were 17 year old men from Benton Harbor. They were both lodged at the Cass County Jail on charges of receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle.
The remaining three suspects were juveniles. Two of them were released to their parents. The third juvenile, the driver of the stolen vehicle, a 15 year old Dowagiac resident, was taken into custody. The vehicle was not damaged in the incident and it was returned to the woman it had been stolen from.
Dowagiac officers were assisted by the Cass County Sheriff’s office, Silver Creek Township Police, Michigan State Police, Van Buren County Sheriff’s office, and the Pokagon Band Tribal Police.
