Big Shiawassee County Car Theft Bust
41 new cars were stolen from the Detroit area and fenced in Shiawassee County in May of 1920. In April, Sheriff Joseph Sproule was impressed with the sudden influx of new cars on the market in Owosso. But after a six-week investigation with the help of Inspector L.H. Parker, chief of the Motor Division of the Detroit Police Dept., resulted in the arrest of five Detroit men and two brothers from Kerby, just east of Corunna.
The scheme, headed by an "Italian gang" in Detroit, involved car thefts of that city, in which the thieves were paid $25 to $50 for each car delivered.
They were taken to a Detroit area barn where within minutes, motor numbers and license plates were changed and then driven to Kirby. Upon arrest, the Kirby men confessed to charges of larceny and concealing motor numbers and assisted police in locating all the cars in the county.
The above photo was taken on the east side of the County Jail and Court House.