OnStar leads cops to stolen vehicle

It can be used to catch suspected car thieves, too.
Two 17-year-old metro Detroiters were arrested in a stolen car that was tracked through the use of OnStar after the car was taken in Detroit, Macomb County sheriff's officials said Friday.

Douglas Brigham of Detroit was ordered held on $10,000 bail after arraignment Thursday on receiving and concealing stolen property, fleeing a police officer and carrying a concealed weapon. Kywan Clemons of Macomb Township was charged with carrying a concealed weapon. He was released after posting $5,000 bond. Each charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, officials said.

A 73-year-old Detroit man's car was taken Wednesday at a CVS store at Mt. Elliot and Jefferson in Detroit. He called 911 and the Detroit police officer who took the report notified OnStar. OnStar tracked the car via satellite to a 7-Eleven gas station at 22 Mile and Romeo Plank roads in Macomb Township. The service then notified the Macomb County Sheriff's Office of the car's location, Sheriff Mark Hackel said.

Sheriff's deputies tried to pin in the car, but the driver sped off and led them on a short chase on 22 Mile. The pursuit ended when a sheriff's vehicle bumped the car from behind, causing it to spin and hit a sign in front of a subdivision.

Hackel said this is the first he's heard of a stolen vehicle location coming in via OnStar. But, he said, he wouldn't mind similar calls in the future.

"That partnership," he said, "you can't beat that."