16-year-old crashes Jeep he stole after meeting owner to buy it in Troy

TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 16-year-old stole a Jeep from a man after meeting up to potentially buy it April 21 in Troy.

The Detroit teen and the victim met at Ace Auto Wash on Maple Road around 5:10 p.m.

They took the vehicle for a test drive, then the teen showed the victim a large amount of cash and said he wanted to buy the Jeep, police said.

Police said the victim got out of the vehicle to get some items out of the trunk. When he opened the truck, the teen fled in the Jeep.

The victim works at the carwash, so he had a co-worker chase after the teen, who traveled on Maple into Sterling Heights. The co-worker tried to box in the teen, but the teen rammed him with the Jeep and got away, police said.

The Jeep was later found totaled on Mound Road, north of 9 Mile Road, in Warren after a crash. Police arrested the teen and determined that the money he showed the victim was counterfeit.