By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – Unpaid parking tickets prompted a 17-year-old boy to illegally enter unlocked cars about 3 a.m. March 27.
Police said the boy was intoxicated and smelled strongly of alcohol, and that he tried to tell them he hadn’t been “breaking into” cars because he only took things out of unlocked vehicles.
Earlier a patrolling officer had seen an interior light come on in a vehicle parked on Balfour south of Ecorse. The officer drove closer to investigate, but saw no one around the car and started to leave. A male dressed in all dark clothing with a sweatshirt hood pulled up around his head then appeared.
Despite police orders to stay where he was, the boy started to run away westbound through the yards toward Buckingham.
The officer called for backup and a K-9 unit to track him. Police said possible stolen merchandise was found dropped along the trail.
They then ordered him to the ground as he attempted to jump a fence and was identified by the original reporting officer.
A pat-down search recovered many small items from the boy’s pockets, including a Global Positioning System unit, an MP3 player, two cell phone chargers, a leatherman tool, a lock and keys, a CD case, loose change and sunglasses.
The boy said he could not remember all the vehicles he had entered, but believed it there were about 10. He pointed out the last vehicle he had entered and said he had planned to use the items to get money to pay for several outstanding parking tickets.
The possible owner of the GPS unit did not answer door knocks. Police left a note and a took a report from the resident last Sunday night.
The boy was arrested. A breath test revealed a blood-alcohol level of 0.097 percent; 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated under Michigan law.
Possible pending charges include larceny form a motor vehicle, obstructing police, consumption of alcohol while under 21 and disregarding curfew. No violations were issued at the time of the report.
Police said on Monday the boy was transferred to the custody of the Wayne County Sherriff’s Department.