- The 24-year-old is already facing charges for stealing from two local car dealerships.
- Deon Brooks was retagging stolen vehicles using cloned VINs before selling them.
- His bond has been set $2 million, but he will need to wear a GPS tether if released.
Police in Detroit’s Macomb County have arrested a 24-year-old man for allegedly stealing up to $1.5 million worth of Cadillac Escalade V models from a GM corporate lot. This isn’t Deon Brooks’ first brush with the law, as he is also fronting court for allegedly stealing a vehicle from a Chevrolet dealership and fleeing from police in early 2024. Evidently, the allure of a new GM vehicle has proven to be too much to ignore for him.
On March 11 of this year, Brooks was arrested following an in-depth investigation led by the Macomb Auto Theft Squad, the Warren Police Department, and the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Enforcement Team. Local authorities started to investigate the case in December 2024 after Brooks made off with several Cadillac models from a GM dealer lot.
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According to the Detroit Free Press, these vehicles were either brand new, corporate loaner cars, or awaiting shipment to dealerships when Brooks snatched them. A spokeswoman from the local Sheriff’s Office, Jennifer Putney, said the thief allegedly made off with pricey Cadillac Escalade V models, but didn’t say if he stole any other vehicles to total the $1.5 million worth of cars that were taken. Prices for the Escalade V start from $159,995 in the US.
Brooks went to court earlier this month, where he pled not guilty to a single charge of conducting a criminal enterprise, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. His bond was set at $2 million, but even if he posts that bail, he will need to wear a GPS tether if he’s released from jail.
Stealing And Selling
Police claim the man retagged the vehicles with cloned VIN numbers and then sold them out of state for a profit. They seized printers from him alongside retagging equipment, fraudulent SOS documents, jewelry, a Chrysler Pacifica, and methamphetamine.
As mentioned, Brooks is no stranger to the law. He was arrested on February 29, 2024, after stealing a vehicle from the Heidebreicht Chevrolet dealership and fleeing from police. Police disabled the car with a spike strip and Brooks attempted to flee on foot before he was caught.
He also allegedly stole vehicles from Serra Cadillac. He was charged with conducting a criminal enterprise for his alleged involvement in these thefts, as well as unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle, and three counts of conspiracy to commit unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle.
