A man walking down the sidewalk in the 1900 block of Cascade in Downriver’s Brownstown Township is seen on a home surveillance camera passing an unoccupied 2014 Dodge Dart when something catches his attention — the ignition is on.
Within seconds, he backs up and makes a move to the driver-side door.
After a quick glance over his shoulder, he opens the door, backs out and heads down the street.
As the car is leaving, the presumed owner of the vehicle steps out of the house and trots after the car, stopping at the end of the driveway in disbelief.
It all unfolded Monday morning.
Police arrived at the house and the vehicle owner told officers he just ran inside the house for a second to grab something and left the keys inside the car and he kept it running.
Police said the man was in such disbelief he thought his brother was driving off in the car, then realized his brother actually was inside the house.
Township police posted a clip of the surveillance footage of the car theft on its social media account and asked anyone who recognized the man or had any information on the theft to call the detective bureau.
According to Deputy Police Chief Andrew Starzec, some pretty aggressive investigative work followed.
The owner left his cellphone inside the Dart and for a while, police tracked the car through the mobile device.
Police said the alleged car thief tossed the phone out of the car in Monroe County.
They were able to recover it.
Not long after, the stolen vehicle was spotted in Pontiac and police believe the person responsible for stealing the car was still driving it.
The driver was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property, Starzec said.
The police department’s post was updated the following day, noting that the vehicle had been recovered.
He said it is not yet clear if the alleged thief will face charges from the township theft, as well as a receiving stolen property in Pontiac.
Starzec said they have also since learned that Southgate police also had an incident with the man related to an assault.