Warren man charged in $1.5M auto theft spree

Deon Charleston Brooks, a 24-year-old man from Warren, Michigan, has been charged with conducting a criminal enterprise connected to high-end vehicle thefts totaling over $1.5 million. Following an investigation that began in December 2024, authorities linked Brooks to multiple thefts from a General Motors corporate lot and discovered equipment used for altering vehicle identification numbers during his arrest. He was arraigned on March 12, 2025, with a bond set at $2 million, and is also facing charges from a previous case involving vehicle thefts earlier in 2024. Investigators allege that Brooks sold the stolen vehicles out of state after re-tagging them. The Macomb County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate potential associates in this auto theft operation. Brooks's next court appearance is scheduled for March 20, 2025.