GPS tracker on stolen car leads to others on car hauler, state police say

A 911 call led to the recovery of three stolen vehicles being hauled last week in Wayne County, thanks to GPS, Michigan State Police said Monday.

A resident alerted authorities Oct. 21 in a 911 call that his vehicle, which had a GPS tracker installed, was stolen and gave the dispatcher its location, state police said on Twitter.

"The vehicle was initially believed to be traveling under its own power on the freeway,"  in Van Buren Township, MSP said. "However, troopers saw a semi-tractor with a car-hauling trailer. On the trailer was the stolen vehicle’s registration plate ... and a traffic stop was made."

The driver, a resident of Long Beach, California, told troopers he recently bought the semi-trailer and was headed to Belleville to pick up another vehicle, state police said.

Investigators who searched the semi found about $10,000 in cash. They also recovered a 2020 Dodge Charger, a 2017 Dodge Challenger and a 2018 Dodge Charger reported stolen by the Warren, Detroit and Southfield police departments.

The MSP Southeast Auto Theft Team is investigating.