Detroit thieves try to heist $1.5 million in Mustangs and Cadillacs from factories
It’s like the Detroit version of Ocean’s 11. A gang of criminals went after brand new high-end cars awaiting shipment in Ford and General Motors’ overflow lots. But far from smooth operators, the trio of suspects managed to steal some vehicles, then got stuck immediately. Now they’re jailed in Macomb County and haven’t posted their million-dollars-plus in bonds.
A trio currently locked up in the Macomb County Jail are charged by police with conducting a criminal enterprise. Leondre Jones, 21; Lemel Watley-Neely, 25, and Jayvon Williams, 33 have bonds, which range from $400,000 to $750,000.
They thought they had the perfect heist–until things went sideways. In brand new Mustang GT500.
The Detroit overflow lot vehicle heist
The concept was relatively simple: Cut their way into the chain link fences surrounding overflow vehicle storage lots in the Metro Detroit area. Identify the most valuable cars on the lot. Use the latest security system defeat devices (likely programming a brand new key). Then drive away.
They knocked over General Motor’s lot in Warren, Michigan and nabbed the following:
- 2026 GMC Hummer EV
- 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQ
- 2026 GMC Sierra EV Denali
- 2026 GMC Sierra EV Denali Max
Even though these vehicles were awaiting shipment up in Warren, they were assembled at GM’s “Factory Zero” on the Detroit-Hamtramck border.
Next, the thieves went downriver to Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant. They nabbed five 2026 Ford Mustangs from that parking lot. They also grabbed a 2023 Cadillac Escalade from a dealership in Troy, Michigan. Finally, the thieves tried to hit GM’s lot in Lansing, Michigan. They were able to start four 2026 Cadillac CT5 sedans. But they couldn’t get those vehicles out of the lot. Maybe they couldn’t force open the gate. Or perhaps they tried to steal manual transmission CTS-5 V cars, but couldn’t drive stick.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jennifer Putney suspects the recently-arrested trio has been working together since incidents in 2024. The Ford Authority website writes that these thieves were linked to a series of thefts from Flat Rock in late 2021 and early 2022, which saw 17 Mustangs stolen–including valuable Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 cars. This seems unlikely, as Jones would have been 17 at the time. That said, there’s obviously a larger gang than this trio involved, if the suspects made off with 12 cars at once.
When a group of thugs (some of them from Michigan), drove to Bowling Green to steal Corvettes from the factory, the locals weren’t having it. Multiple regular citizens, presumably thankful for the jobs General Motors provides, hunted down the cars and called the cops. Perhaps the Motor City will step up and turn the rest of this Cadillac/Mustang crew in.
