DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. – A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for his role in a two-day crime spree that involved stealing almost 50 guns.
According to authorities, Deon Bell got two men and a boy to help him steal guns from a store in Dearborn Heights on Sept. 11, 2022. The four stole a car, crashed it into the front of the store and left with 22 guns.
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Less than 24 hours later, Bell did it again. He got two more boys to help in stealing a car, driving it through the front of the same gun store and stealing 25 guns.
Authorities offered a $20,000 reward for information and a friend of one of the suspects involved told police that the suspect had shown him a backpack filled with guns shortly after the theft. He also texted the friend that he was on the news and shared a story on the crimes.
Background: Friend of man who helped steal 76+ guns in Westland, Dearborn Heights turns him in for reward money
Police said many of the stolen guns have been recovered, but many are still unaccounted for.
Bell was arrested by police a month later after robbing a T-Mobile store in Ann Arbor, where he stole nearly $10,000 worth of phones and tech -- including a decoy phone that allowed police to track him.
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For his role in the T-Mobile armed robbery, Bell was sentenced in 2023 to eight and a half years in prison.
For his role in the Dearborn Heights gun store thefts, Bell was sentenced Wednesday, Nov. 20, to seven and a half years.
Authorities said Bell has a long criminal history that involves drug trafficking, sexual assault and more. The sentences will be run consecutively.
