Two juveniles were taken into custody Saturday night after Michigan State Police used aerial support to track a stolen vehicle along the Southfield Freeway on Detroit’s west side.
According to police, at approximately 9:15 p.m. on Jan. 24, the MSP received a call from the owner of a stolen vehicle who reported actively tracking their car as it traveled on the Southfield Freeway service drive near McNichols. The owner provided real-time location updates as troopers moved into the area.
MSP’s helicopter, Trooper 2 located the vehicle from the air and relayed its movements to officers on the ground. A traffic stop was attempted, but the suspects refused to stop. Ground units did not pursue the vehicle; however, aerial surveillance continued.
Shortly after the attempted stop, the suspects abandoned the vehicle near Fenmore and 7 Mile Road and fled on foot. Troopers observed the passenger running and took him into custody without incident. The driver was arrested shortly afterward after being tracked through the neighborhood by Trooper 2.
Both suspects were transported to Detroit’s Second District Headquarters. Police confirmed the individuals are both 15 years old, and their parents were notified.
“A petition will be submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office – Juvenile Division for review, and the vehicle will be returned to the owner,” said First Lieutenant Mike Shaw.
The investigation remains under review by the prosecutor’s office.