Mike Monicatti found the Chevy Venture he was looking for along with other cars without license plates. (Credit: WJBK | myFOXDetroit.com)
DETROIT (WJBK) -
"There's definitely something out of the ordinary going on here. Obviously there's not four abandoned cars in a side of a driveway that are just sitting here for no reason," said Mike Monicatti, owner of Monicatti Recovery Services.
It's a possible insurance scam uncovered by a Roseville repo man of sorts. It's Monicatti's job to track down stolen or missing cars from area dealerships or banks, and boy did he.
"We have one of our clients, RightWay, who is a client that has about nine dealers here in the metro Detroit area, and they called us and let us know one of their vehicles [was] reported stolen last night off their lot."
A GPS unit led Monicatti right to it in a driveway in the 13000 block of Mansfield. Monicatti found the Chevy Venture he had been searching for along with three other cars with no plates and a flatbed tow truck filled with what he believes are hot purses, radio and other belongings.
"In my opinion, this is a big chop shop for insurance theft. These customers or whoever they are make a deal with these people, who are willing to take their vehicles, and then they go ahead and make sure these vehicles are not found and then they're either, again, chopped up or they're disposed of, then the insurance companies are left holding the bill for all these," Monicatti said.
We did try to call both numbers located on the side of the towing truck to see how or if the company is involved with this situation. None of the numbers were working. Detroit Police are now investigating.
"Nobody happens to know anything that's going on. The lady said next door that these cars have been here for a long time, but yet our car that was third in row was just missing last night," Monicatti explained.
Monicatti said a DPD officer ran the VIN numbers on all those cars and discovered that none of them had been reported stolen as of yet, only adding to his theory that something just isn't right and that the rest of us are being wronged.
"It's frustrating as a business owner and as a father to pay the rates that we pay for insurance for quite blatant fraud that's going on," he said.
Sunday, March 17 2013 9:05 PM EDT2013-03-18 01:05:08 GMT
A 16 year-old young man from Romulus is sore, swollen and recovering from a dislocated jaw. An amateur video shows he was brutally beaten outside a local 7-Eleven, and his family needs help tracking down
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Thursday, May 23 2013 8:19 AM EDT2013-05-23 12:19:36 GMT
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Thursday, May 23 2013 7:58 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:58:41 GMT
New U.S. Census Bureau estimates say Detroit's population remained just above 700,000 last year. The figures show Detroit lost residents between 2011 and 2012, but the decline was at a slower pace than in previous years.
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:44 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:44:19 GMT
Find out how you can help the victims of Monday's deadly tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City suburbs, killing two dozen and flattening neighborhoods, schools and businesses.
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:20 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:20:38 GMT
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:39 PM EDT2013-05-23 02:39:42 GMT
The Republicans in Lansing are pushing a new bill that would base teacher salaries on student performance. But will merit pay really help kids get a better education? Some say the answer is no.
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:07 PM EDT2013-05-23 02:07:10 GMT
13 dogs were rescued from a house on Ewers in southwest Detroit. The three most emaciated dogs were taken to the VCA in St. Clair Shores. They are being held in isolation for at least a week.
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 9:56 PM EDT2013-05-23 01:56:23 GMT
Children were literally screaming for peace. Elementary school students at Cesar Chavez Academy in southwest Detroit spoke out for themselves -- stop bullying and stop the violence.
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