ALLEN PARK
Unsecured wallet stolen at gym
A basketball workout cost a man his wallet sometime between 8 and 9 p.m. Oct. 10 at LA Fitness, 3223 Fairlane Drive. The man said he set his wallet down against the south wall in the basketball area, and an hour later it was missing. Four credit cards, $20 and his driver’s license were in the wallet. There were no witnesses, but the victim hoped that security cameras will show a suspect.
Thief attempts getaway on bicycle
A 44-year-old Inkster man was taken into custody at 6:23 p.m. Oct. 11 after he attempted to leave Home Depot on a bicycle with stolen tools.
Store personnel saw the man take tools from one part of the store to the garden center, then tie a rope around the tools. He then climbed to the top of some outdoor storage shelves, pulled the tools upward using the aforementioned rope, then threw the tools over the security fence outside of the store. The man then left the store and went to the back where the tools were, retrieved them, and rode off on his bicycle with them.
Police stopped the man with two large plastic tool boxes, one with the anti-theft device still attached, a Paslode cordless nailer, and an M-18 drill kit, each valued at $400. The man had a total of $1,045 worth of merchandise. He was booked, then taken to the Dearborn police station to be housed.
DEARBORN
Man arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute
While on patrol on Miller Road on Oct. 3, police observed a silver vehicle with a cracked windshield traveling south.
When officers got behind the vehicle they observed the license plate light was out and then conducted a traffic stop. When police made contact they detected a strong order of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The driver said there was no marijuana in his vehicle. During a search of the vehicle officers found brass knuckles in the driver’s side door pocket, small digital scale under the driver’s seat, two cell phones on the driver’s seat and a black UAW backpack in the back seat.
The backpack contained a smaller backpack with a black plastic cylinder and three large baggies of marijuana. Empty baggies, rubber bands and credit cards with the driver’s name on them also were found. The driver admitted to police that the backpack was his. He also said he bought some marijuana to smoke it, but forgot the marijuana was inside the backpack.
Police arrested the driver for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute with no bond and possession of a dangerous weapon.
DEARBORN HEIGHTS
Laptop, tablet stolen from vehicle
Police were called to a house in the 4400 block of Pardee Oct. 9 after electronics and a purse were taken from a Chevrolet Equinox.
The victim said she parked her vehicle in her driveway about 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 with all the doors locked. At 7:45 a.m. the following day, the woman went outside to the vehicle where she noticed items were missing from the inside. She said a laptop and tablet along with a purse containing her credit cards, driver’s license, gold jewelry and passport were stolen.
According to the report, there was no damage to the vehicle.
LINCOLN PARK
Cell phone store employee caught embezzling on surveillance video
The owner of Boost Mobile, 1123 Southfield Road reported at 12:34 p.m. Oct. 19 that he had noticed a shortage in his cash reserves. Upon reviewing surveillance video, the owner observed an employee, a 32-year-old Lincoln Park woman, take an iPhone 6 X into the back room, slip it into a potato chip bag and put it into her own purse. He later found footage of her taking a cell phone case and a bluetooth device in the same manner, for a total of $465 worth of equipment. He also observed footage of the woman take an unknown amount of cash out of a safe in the back room. When she showed up for work, the owner notified police and she was arrested for embezzlement.
Customer caught on video taking wallet left on counter
A 70-year-old woman who accidentally left her wallet on the counter at the Mobil gas station at 4124 Dix watched surveillance video with a store clerk and saw a customer pick up her wallet and leave with it. The employee said he didn’t know the woman’s name, but she is a regular customer. The black leather wallet, valued at $50, contained five debit and credit cards, a driver’s license, Social Security card, birth certificate and miscellaneous change. The woman observed on video taking the wallet is white, 35 to 40 years old, 300 pounds, with red hair and wearing a red shirt.
MELVINDALE
Stolen Rogue recovered
Officers removed and kept a license plate for safekeeping at 10:46 a.m. Oct. 25 from a 2017 Nissan Rogue, reported stolen from Fairmont, W.Va., at the request of B & K Collision, 2521 Oakwood, where the vehicle was undergoing repairs. The vehicle had been impounded by Detroit police Aug. 18, and Enterprise Car Rental had Mitch’s Towing take the car from the Detroit impound lot on Oct. 20 to B & K Collision.
Ex-boyfriend throws brick through window, tries to kick in back door
A resident in the 3500 block of McKitrick said at 7:40 p.m. Oct. 24 a friend’s ex-boyfriend threw a landscaping brick through the front window of a house, then tried to kick in the back door while saying, “Let me talk to my girlfriend.” The man left before police arrived, and a search of the area was unsuccessful. The resident said he will press charges.
RIVERVIEW
Two cars damaged by thrown rocks at Huntington Elementary
Two cars were reported damaged at 6:15 p.m. Oct. 17 at Huntington Elementary School, 17752 Kennebec Street. A 2013 gray Chrysler Town and Country had a broken back window and a dented bumper, while a red 2014 Ford Fusion had a dent on the driver’s side by the back window and scuff marks on the driver’s side door. The reporting officer noticed multiple rocks on the ground near the vehicle. There were no suspects.
Cab driver stuck with cell phone, no fare
A Trinity Transportation cab driver who took a fare from a gas station in Lincoln Park to Huntington North Apartments in the 17000 block of Fort Street reported at 3 a.m. Oct. 12 that a woman who didn’t have her $14.50 fare left a cell phone as collateral and never returned for it. He waited almost an hour before calling police.
The driver said he did not know what apartment the woman entered. Police called the phone number used to summon the cab company. The person who answered said the woman had just used the phone to call a cab, and she did not know the woman’s name. The cell phone left with the cab driver was taken into evidence.
SOUTHGATE
Truck tailgate stolen overnight
The tailgate from a white 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, valued at $1,000, was stolen overnight at 8:38 a.m. Oct. 17 from the 13000 block of Flanders. The tailgate was last seen at 9 p.m. the night before. The man said nothing else was missing from the vehicle.
Key hole, ignition damaged on Chevy in hotel lot
Punch damage to a driver’s side door keyhole and ignition on a 2002 Chevy Z-11 were reported at 7:17 a.m. Oct. 17 at Comfort Suites, 18950 Northline. The vehicle could not be driven. A computer and other valuables in the vehicle were left untouched.
TRENTON
Road rage on Friday the 13th
A 51-year-old Temperance man driving north on Fort Street near West Road in a Chrysler 300 called police at 3:47 a.m. Oct. 13 and said a 45-year-old Rochester man in a silver Jeep Cherokee was repeatedly cutting in front of his vehicle, even when he changed lanes, then pulled alongside, rolled down his window and appeared to point a firearm him, saying, “You want some of this?”
Police initiated a traffic stop for the Jeep and searched the vehicle, but did not find a firearm.
The man in the Jeep said when he initially changed lanes and moved in front of the Chrysler, the man accelerated, followed him too closely and turned on his high beam headlights. He said he only pulled alongside the other vehicle to take a photo of the man with his cell phone.
Both men were released at the scene. Police checked the area for a possible discarded firearm, but found none.
Credit card fraud
A 67-year-old Trenton man reported at 9:34 a.m. Oct. 13 that a credit card was missing from his wallet and 12 purchases totaling more than $1,400 had been charged to the card from June 13 to July 13 at multiple Downriver stores. When he reported the fraud to the bank he was advised to file a police report. The man gave police a list of the fraudulent purchases and locations. He said he did not know how the card was stolen or by whom.
WYANDOTTE
Drunken man doesn’t pay bar tab
A 21-year-old Taylor man left My Place Bar, 806 Biddle, at about 10:30 a.m. Oct. 21 after refusing to settle his $97.50 bar bill when his debit card was declined. The drunken man harassed other customers, saying he was a Marine and that they should buy him a drink. He badgered the bouncer, then tore off his shirt and tried unsuccessfully to find someone to fight him. The man, who was wearing blue jeans, brown boots and a black Marine T-shirt, then left the bar and ran across Biddle.
Police officers spotted the man near a gas station at Ford and Biddle. He denied being at My Place Bar earlier, and when asked why his debit card was there, he said he planned to return to the bar to drink some more.
The man then took off running south on Biddle. He refused officers commands to stop, so he was electronically subdued. He was then arrested for resisting an officer, public intoxication and defrauding an innkeeper.
A duffle bag containing 14 12-ounce cans of Budweiser in his possession was tagged and placed in an evidence locker.
Man crashes grandfather’s truck, leaves scene
A 36-year-old Wyandotte man was charged with a hit-a-run crash, cocaine possession and improper lane usage after he took his grandfather’s 2017 Chevrolet Equinox without permission, struck a parked car in the 800 block of Cora then fled the scene on foot.
A neighbor described the man leaving the scene as white, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, 130 to 140 pounds and clean cut, wearing a white shirt and dark pants and shuffling awkwardly.
When the vehicle was righted, a cell phone was found on the street. Officers were sent to the address at which the vehicle was registered. Officers saw a man matching the man’s description running in a nearby alley. He then entered the house, and came to the front door sweating and out of breath.
The man initially claimed he was kidnapped at gunpoint and told to drive to a location to buy drugs. When officers confronted him with the inconsistencies in this statement, he finally admitted to making the story up so his grandfather wouldn’t get mad at him for taking the vehicle.
(Compiled by Zeinab Najm and Sue Suchyta.)