DETROIT (WXYZ) — A warehouse owner on Detroit's west side claims repeated burglaries over the years have cost him tens of thousands of dollars and are preventing him from renovating his property to reopen as a business.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report:
Jad Taleb says thieves have stolen car parts, copper wiring, and air conditioning coils, among other items, from his warehouse, with losses totaling well over $70,000 to $80,000.
"Somebody has your stuff in the back of their car and you can't do anything about it," Taleb said.
The most recent break-in occurred Tuesday morning, but Taleb says the thefts date back years. The Detroit Police Department says there have been a dozen reported break-ins since 2018, with seven occurring this year alone.
"If you could put a dollar amount on the property stolen here over the years. It's well over the $70-80,000 range at this point," Taleb said.
Extended interview: Business owner talks about numerous break-ins he's experienced over the years
"This crew that's been hitting recently, they started back in February, hitting us. We got hit on and off a couple days, on a couple days, off for about seven days in total," he said.
During the most recent break-in, Taleb arrived at the scene as the suspects were attempting to flee. The thieves got caught on an electric pole wire while trying to drive out, damaging their vehicle in the process and leaving behind wreckage.
"He got stuck in the wiring and kept trying to go forward, back, forward, back, forward, back," Taleb said.
"Hit my car about three to four times, and when he got loose on the wire, he came right at me and went right back northbound up Freeland again," he said.
Taleb followed the men to the Warren and Livernois area in southwest Detroit. He says he has clear surveillance footage of the suspects and has even encountered them selling his stolen property.
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO: Break ins at Detroit business caught on camera
(** WARNING: Contains profanity**)
"So, we have them on video. You can see them as clear as day," Taleb said.
"I once found them in Dearborn selling my stuff too. Very frustrating," he said.
Taleb says he first purchased the warehouse, which was formerly an auto collision shop, in 2017 and started experiencing break-ins about a year later. Taleb says he closed the business in 2019 and is now trying to renovate the space to reopen as a recycling facility, but says the ongoing burglaries are hampering that effort.
"We stockpile as much as we can stock to rehab these buildings in Detroit, and everything gets stolen time and time again," Taleb said.
Despite the frustrations, Taleb praised the detective working on his case.
"The detective has been doing a really amazing job. She's really on top of it," Taleb said. "I know they're trying their best as far as the police go. I mean, I was a cop, I know how it is," he said.
The Detroit Police Department says it is aware of the situation, is in contact with Taleb, and is actively investigating the break-ins.
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