Dearborn
Cigarettes stolen at mosque
Roughly $5,000 worth of cigarettes was stolen from a Mercury Mountaineer parked at Islamic Center of America, 19500 Ford, about 2 p.m. Sept. 11.
The owner of the vehicle told police he purchased 90 cartons at a nearby convenience store before going to the mosque. Surveillance footage taken by security cameras showed an Arab man approach the vehicle and smash the driver’s-side window in order to unlock the doors.
The man – described by police as in his early 20s, between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet, about 180 pounds, and wearing a white shirt with red or black basketball shorts at the time of the incident – then opened the rear hatch and took a box of cartons. A short time later the suspect returned and grabbed the remaining cigarettes.
Trash can burglar sought
A burglar added insult to injury during a Sept. 12 break-in at Dearborn Liquor, 1150 Telegraph.
In addition to stealing 15 cartons of cigarettes and a cash register containing $400 cash, the suspect left piles of garbage on top of the store’s checkout counter.
Police responded to an alarm at the location about 6:25 a.m. and observed a broken display window. When they went inside they found the cash register missing and several liquor bottles on the floor behind the counter. On top of the counter the officers noticed the garbage strewn.
Security cameras caught most of the action on tape and showed the suspect breaking the window with a ratchet. He then entered the store carrying a gray plastic trash can, which he used to haul the stolen items.
He is described by police as a medium-built black man 30 to 40 years-old, between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet tall, wearing a dark stocking cap with a white logo, gray work pants, lustrous black tennis shoes and a black glove and white glove on his left and right hands, respectively. Police also captured the suspect’s vehicle on camera. It is described as a newer burgundy conversion van with an elevated roof line. The van also had several lighter-colored horizontal stripes along the passenger side and a third, mounted brake light.
Dearborn Heights
Wheels stolen, car left on patio blocks
All four wheels of a 2008 Mercury Milan were stolen in the 8400 block of Hazelton about midnight Sept. 20.
The owner, a 73 year-old woman, called police when she found noticed the vehicle was resting on patio blocks.
Jewelry taken in burglary
More than $1,000 in gold, diamonds and silver jewelry was stolen from a house in the 24700 block of Colgate Sept. 18.
The homeowner called police when she arrived home from work about 4 p.m. and found an air condtioner on her bedroom floor, and the window where the unit had been was open.