13-year-old boy arrested for 3rd time for stealing cars in Oakland County

A 13-year-old boy who was previously arrested twice in connection with a string of car thefts targeting Oakland County businesses has been arrested again for the same crime. 

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office began investigating a series of vehicle thefts, attempted auto thefts and business break-ins in Pontiac and Waterford Township over the weekend. 

On Sunday, deputies responded to Friday's Auto Sales on Cesar Chavez Avenue in Pontiac, where they found forced entry to the dealership, a heavily damaged Dodge Charger and a stolen Dodge Dart. Detectives connected the incident to a Chevrolet pickup truck and a Dodge Ram that had been stolen from a Pontiac landscaping business two days earlier.

According to authorities, the Chevrolet truck was stolen from the business on Sept. 19 and used to ram through a fenced parking lot before leaving the area. The following day, a Ram was stolen from the same Waterford Township business and driven to Friday's Auto Sales. 

Dealership surveillance video showed a person climbing over a fence and using a rock to break a window before entering a building, where keys to several vehicles were stolen. Deputies say the person was seen getting into a Dodge Charger and attempting to ram through a gate before the Charger became disabled and abandoned. 

"He caused a lot of damage; he caused damage to the front glass and to the gate in the back. He ran a car right through that gate, and he stole two vehicles from this lot," said Tony Jumma, owner of Friday's Auto Sales. 

Deputies say a Dodge Dart was also stolen from the Pontiac dealership and driven to a Waterford Township dealership, where it was used to ram a gate. Detectives found a broken window at the Waterford Township dealership, but found no one inside the building. 

Detectives say retail fraud was also committed at a nearby dollar store, where two other vehicles in the parking lot were damaged after unsuccessful attempts to steal them. 

Detectives identified the 13-year-old boy as the suspect and arrested him within 24 hours. 

In 2025, the boy, then 12, was accused of stealing three Chevrolet Silverado trucks and two trailers from a Waterford Township lawn care business on July 27, 2025. The stolen trucks and trailers, valued at $90,000, were recovered. 

In late June 2025, the same boy was arrested for stealing several vehicles from a Pontiac business. The boy was carrying a license plate when he was arrested, according to the sheriff's office. 

Through their investigation, detectives learned the boy had taken seven vehicles early in the summer of 2025, selling at least one of them for $30.     

Shana Turner, an employee at Friday's Auto Sales, says she is frustrated that, despite a history of alleged similar brazen robberies by the teen, he was still able to do this to Friday's.   

"It makes me mad, it's really sad watching somebody who does so much for the community, and that this kid was let out to do it again," Tuner said. 

Jumma says that, as frustrated as he is, he can't help but feel that the teen needs help. 

"I lost a lot of money here, but we gotta help the kid and think about the kid too," Jumma said. 

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Tuesday afternoon that, moving forward, the discipline the troubled teen faces will have to be more severe. 

"The probate court, I think, will have to take a stronger, sterner, more vigorous approach because he didn't learn from the last outing," Bouchard said. 

The 13-year-old was lodged at Oakland County Children's Village, and detectives have presented a 16-count juvenile petition to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. 

Detectives are continuing their investigation.