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Security Guard Scares Off Would-Be Tire Thieves At Detroit Dealership

DETROIT (WWJ) - A group of would-be tire thieves got away empty-handed, thanks to the actions of a quick-thinking security guard.

The incident unfolded early Wednesday morning at the Ray Laethem dealership on Mack Avenue, near Cadieux Road on Detroit's east side.

Reporting live from the scene, WWJ's Charlie Langton said it appears that four men used wire cutters to create a hole in a fence around the dealership. Once inside, the men made their way over to the vehicles, which they jacked up on bricks. The men then removed several tires, apparently using a hydraulic drill.

Gregory Young, a security guard at the dealership, caught the thieves red-handed. He realized what was going on and stopped the thieves as they were stacking the tires in a pile.

"They cut the fence and they had, like, a drill to get the screws off real fast," he said. "And one was hitting the screws while another one was jacking the car up."

Young said he was able to scare off the crooks, who fled the scene in a truck, leaving behind the lifted rubber and all their tools.

"Those four guys were over here and one of them had a shotgun, and he told me 'You don't want none of this,' and I said 'I sure don't' because I don't got no gun," Young said.

Police responded to the scene and collected evidence, but have yet to make any arrests in the case.

Descriptions of the suspects were not immediately available.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 313-267-4600.

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