(WXYZ) — A prominent Lathrup Village community member is facing charges relating to stolen cars.
Mark Watts, who is the president of the Lathrup Village Chamber of Commerce, was charged Tuesday with three counts of Receiving and Concealing a Stolen Motor Vehicle and one count of License Plate Forgery.
The charges come one day after law enforcement officials conducted a raid at a home in Lathrup Village and took Watts into custody.
Watch our report from Monday in the video below
Investigators spent several hours removing bags of evidence while tow trucks removed multiple cars from the property. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said that the Auto Theft Unit led the raid.
According to Sheriff Michael Bouchard, the investigation began on April 29, 2026, when officers in Southfield conducted a traffic stop. During the course, officers found the vehicle had been reported stolen and had a fraudulent registration.
The vehicle was being driven by Watts, police said. The car was impounded and Watts and another person in the car were released at the scene.
During the raid, officers recovered 15 firearms and documents believed to be associated with altered vehicle titles. Three vehicles were seized, and one vehicle had a stolen license plate.
Officers also raided Quality Auto Business, owned by Watts, in Lathrup Village. Detectives found two additional vehicles that were stolen and re-tagged.
He was given a $25,000 personal bond and is set to be in court on May 18.
