By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – Two Detroit teens were arrested the afternoon of Oct. 3 at Fairlane Town Center following the failed carjacking of an older man’s white 2024 Mercedes Benz GLS near JC Penney.
Earlier, Fairlane Town Center security personnel reported to dispatch that a group of teens were breaking into cars in the parking lot near JC Penney. Police personnel deployed a drone from the Dearborn police station at 18900 Michigan Avenue.
Another report was then made of a felonious assault and attempted carjacking of a senior man who was approached by two teens when he parked his sport utility vehicle near JC Penney, and multiple patrol cars were dispatched to the location.
The victim said a black male wearing a gray zip-up sweatshirt opened his car door, and when he refused to surrender his car keys, he was sprayed in the face with bear spray. The older man was then hit in the head by the other teen’s fist.
The driver said he tried to fight back against the two teens, and was punched multiple times by both of them.
The man then exited his vehicle and ran away from the location with his vehicle keys in his possession. The two teens, who were unable to start the car, walked away from the victim’s vehicle and joined three other teen boys at the nearby bus stop.
Drone camera footage identified the second teen as a black male dressed in black.
Fairlane Town Center security personnel provided on scene assistance, as well as parking lot surveillance camera footage of the incident.
Based on the information being relayed to the responding police officers by the drone surveillance, the responding law enforcement personnel were able to quickly find and take the suspects into custody.
The bear spray, which one of the teens had thrown to the ground, was recovered and taken into evidence.
The two carjackers, as seen on the drone surveillance footage, were taken into custody, booked, and sent to the Wayne County Youth Home.
The other three teens were released to the custody of family members.
The face of the victim, who was sprayed with the repellent, was red and swollen. He was treated on the scene for his injuries.