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Reward offered for arrest of used car dealership thief in Portage

Posted at 10:34 PM, Dec 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-21 22:45:09-05

PORTAGE, Mich.  --  The Grinch has come calling early in Portage.

A used vehicle dealership, Deals Unlimited, has captured on camera a man stealing car parts from their lot multiple times, several days in a row.

However, Deals Unlimited general manager Jeff Arms has a holiday message for the crook, the next time he comes to the location, 8705 Portage Road: the business is working with the Portage Department of Public Safety to catch him and they have surveillance video of him and his vehicle.

Security footage shows the suspect has been there three times; once on Friday to scope the place out  and twice on Saturday and Sunday to commit the thefts.

"On one day, he got the rims and tires and the next night he got the tail lights and the seat out of a different car," Arms says.

The thief is using the same getaway car, a black Chevy Malibu built between 2008 and 2013, each time - parking it in the same spot but in such a way that the security cameras don't catch his license plate. Arms tells FOX 17 the suspect also wears gloves while stealing car parts from the dealership, so no fingerprints were left behind.

Since all the car parts were stolen off 2010 Chevy Malibus, Arms believes the suspect is trying to outfit his own car.

Arms says he understands the holidays can be a desperate time of year for some people.

"I understand people fall on hard times, they want to do things there's better avenues to go than to help yourself to something...that doesn't belong to you."

However, Arms says he would like to see the suspect arrested and prosecuted.

To help with the investigation, Arms says Deals Unlimited is offering a $1,000 reward for the man's arrest. If you know who he is, call Portage Public Safety at (269)-329-4567 or contact Silent Observer.