Sheriff deputies say suspected thieves shot at them while the thieves stole metal from a local General Motors plant.
Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell says it's not the first time these suspects have stolen metal and not the first time they shot at officials.
General Motors plant 31, also known as Flint North, has been vacant since February 2004. It was the scene of burglars stealing copper August 18th at 2am. General Motors security says it confronted a burglary in process and was shot at.
General Motors contracted with the Genesee County Sheriff's Department and two days later sheriff deputies spotted a similar burglary.
They too, say they were shot at with this a .38 caliber revolver.
Later, they arrested seven adult suspects and four juveniles. Some of them were arrested in the past for similar crimes.
Pickell says, "One of these people, he was ordered to pay $280,000 restitution and he's back in the plant the following year stealing more probably to try to pay his restitution."
The sheriff says the juveniles slid under the fence, broke into the buildings, and removed copper pieces from the plant.
The remaining operating plants at Flint North are plants 5, 10, and 81, where 480 people work.
General Motors says it plans to end operations there by the end of the year.
The sheriff says he doesn't know if that decision is based on the burglaries, but he says they don't help. "I say it because it's true; GM is being robbed blind," Pickell said at a press conference. General Motors says its decision to wind down operations at Flint North has nothing to do with the burglaries.
The sheriff is trying team up with local scrap yards to stop people from making money on stolen metal.
The thieves allegedly used several flatbed trucks to load the copper. Each truck carried $6,000 worth of copper.
General Motors doesn't know exactly how much metal was taken.
The sheriff's department returned the juveniles to their parents while the seven adults face multiple charges, from fleeing and eluding to assault with intent to murder.
