DETROIT (WXYZ) — The owners of Diesel Repair Inc. say they have no idea who used one of their customer's vehicles to illegally dump seven barrels of what Detroit police said appears to be used motor oil in a neighborhood just five minutes away from their repair shop on Lonyo Street in Southwest Detroit.
Owner Cristian Preda told 7 Action News that he was out of the country when the illegal dumping took place and he directed us to talk to his partner.
"It's very simple. I think an employee illegally used the truck at night without authorization of the business," Preda's partner said. "The end result is the business having to pay a fine for it."
But Detroit Police Department Officer Garrett Micallef, who is assigned to the General Assignment Unit, said the illegal dumping took place in the middle of the afternoon. And it was also caught on one of the many surveillance cameras Detroit police have set up in all parts of the city to crack down on illegal dumpers.
"People are doing it anytime in the day or night," Micallef said.
Micallef and members of the special unit were able to track down the owner of the truck who informed them that his company vehicle was in a shop for repairs.
Detroit police conducted surveillance to see where the truck was and who was in possession of the vehicle.
Investigators then issued the owner of Diesel Repair Inc. a $5,000 ticket for improper transport of hazardous waste and a $10,000 ticket for dumping hazardous waste on public/private property.
"They figured they can get away with it," said one man who lives less than 100 feet away from where the oil-filled barrels were dumped. "It's just a shame. They want their street clean. They don't want nobody dumping on their street, but they'll come on my street."
Detroit Police Department Lt. Dana Russell said, "The residents don't appreciate it, we don't appreciate it. And we're out here working to stop it."
"It's not something that you can just do and think it's going to be okay. This is a serious matter," Russell added.
7 Action News asked a manager of Diesel Repair Inc. if they were going to terminate any worker involved in the illegal dumping of the oil. He said it would be too difficult to figure out who did it.
"Whatever it is, it is. It's passed. Cristian paid the ticket. It is what it is. What can you do?" he added.
Illegal dumping can be reported on the Improve Detroit mobile app.
