Allen Park
Drunken driver asleep in coffee shop parking lot
A repeat-offender drunken driver was found asleep behind the wheel at 2 a.m. Feb. 5 in the parking lot of a coffee shop on Outer Drive. The woman, who said she “had a little bit to drink at the airport” smelled strongly of intoxicants, had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and a glassy stare. She failed numerous field sobriety tests, including reciting the alphabet, counting backward and a dexterity test.
A preliminary breath test was administered, and the woman had a blood-alcohol content of 0.25, more than three times the 0.08 limit for legally drunk in Michigan.
She was arrested for operating while impaired. A query showed her driver’s license was revoked, and she had two prior alcohol violations. Her vehicle was towed and impounded, and she was taken to the police station for booking, where she was held.
Vodka theft attempted in preparation for Super Bowl
A man tried unsuccessfully to steal a bottle of Tito’s Vodka, valued at $20, at 6 p.m. Feb. 3 from Meijer, 3565 Fairlane Drive. Loss prevention personnel said they saw the man go to the liquor department, where he selected a bottle of vodka, then tried to conceal it in his right jacket pocket. After he passed all points of purchase without paying for the item, he was stopped by loss prevention personnel and detained.
When police arrived and questioned the man, he said he needed the vodka to watch the Super Bowl. He was arrested for retail fraud and taken into custody.
Dearborn
Police cite two men for reckless driving
While on patrol Jan. 6, police observed two vehicles at a red light on Telegraph Road and Wilson street racing.
According to the report, as one of the vehicles accelerated to almost 90 mph, the tires began to squeal. The second vehicle continued to accelerate and was able to catch up to the first vehicle.
A traffic stop was conducted by police where drivers identified themselves and provided their proof of insurance. Officers cited the two men for reckless driving and were advised to contact the 19th District Court.
Dearborn Heights
Off-road vehicle stolen from Rosenau Powersports
A black pearl 2019 Polaris Rzr 900 EPS was stolen from Rosenau Powersports, 24732 Ford Road, about 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1.
According to police the off-road vehicle was missing from the rear parking lot at the business. Rosenau Powersports is offering a reward to anyone who has information that leads back to the off-road vehicle.
Anyone with information on the item in question can call Detective Sgt. Jake Hatten at 313-277-7716 or Rosenau Powersports at 313-278-5000.
Graffiti found on garage
Police are searching for information to identify anyone responsible for spray painting graffiti on a garage in the area of Harding and Eton on Jan. 30.
Anyone with information on the graffiti can call Detective Sgt. Joseph Reyna at 313-277-7709 or the School District No. 7 office at 313-203-3180.
Lincoln Park
Attempt to open bank account reveals identity theft
A 25-year-old woman who attempted to open an account at a local bank the morning of Jan. 31 was told that someone else had already used her Social Security number to open an account. The woman then contacted the Social Security Administration about the identity theft, who advised her to file a police report. The woman said she had no idea who might have stolen her Social Security number.
Tax return, refund hijacked by hacker
A 51-year-old man reported the afternoon of Feb. 3 that when he went online to complete his federal and state tax returns with Turbo Tax, he discovered his account password had been changed. After he re-set his password, he discovered that an unknown person had completed his return and directed his tax refund to another address. He said he had given no one access to his password or computer. He said Turbo Tax personnel had already initiated steps to invalidate the fraudulent return, and told him to file a police report.
Melvindale
TP’ing teens escape on foot
Police officers responded to a report of a vehicle being covered with toilet paper the afternoon of Jan. 28, and discovered a vehicle covered in toilet tissue, but with no other apparent damage. The reporting party said the vandals were teen males wearing dark clothing, who ran away when their activity was witnessed. Officers canvassed the area, but found no suspects.
Offender arrested for stiffing taxi cab driver
A woman who hired a taxi driver to pick up her non-English speaking friend the night of Jan. 23 from Detroit and take him to her Melvindale hotel room was taken into custody for failing to pay the promised $16.75 cab fare. The woman said she thought another friend was going to pay for the cab fare, but they left and did not contribute to the bill.
The officers gave the woman time to make some phone calls, but no one was willing to come and pay her cab fare obligation. When she was unable to pay her debt, her name was run through the Law Enforcement Information Network, and she was found to have two outstanding Melvindale traffic warrants, for driving on an expired driver’s license, and for having no insurance. She was arrested and taken to the Dearborn police station to be held.
Riverview
Window smashed on Ford Explorer
A resident of Coachwood Street reported the morning of Feb. 5 that the window of the rear liftgate of his 2017 silver Ford Explorer was smashed, although nothing appeared to be missing from the vehicle. The window appeared to have been struck with an object as opposed to having an object thrown through it. The vehicle owner said no other vehicles in the driveway were disturbed, and no other vehicle vandalism was observed in the neighborhood. The window had an estimated $180 replacement cost.
Catalytic converters stolen from company vans
The catalytic converters of two company vans were reported stolen the afternoon of Feb. 2 by the owner of a vending company on Fort Street. The catalytic converters on the two white 2002 Ford cutaway vans were likely stolen overnight, and the damage was discovered that morning when the vehicles emitted unusually loud noises. He owner said the cost would be about $2,000 to replace the catalytic converters. There were no suspects.
Southgate
Gas and fast food fraud
A woman filed a police report the evening of Jan. 24 when she discovered two unauthorized transactions on her debit card: $11 charged to a McDonald’s on Jan. 19, and $24 spent Jan. 21 at a Clark gas station. She showed that her debit card was still in her possession, but she had canceled it and gotten a new card. She provided a copy of her online banking statement, and was given a police report number.
Tricycle taken
A man in the 16000 block of Fountain Park Drive reported in the early morning hours of Feb. 3 that his adult three-wheeled bike was stolen from the carport on the north side of his residence overnight. He said the tricycle was silver with a basket on the back on it. There were no suspects.
Trenton
Woman scammed by fake email from her boss
A woman reported on Jan. 28 that an email she thought was from her boss, the CEO of local non-profit, directed her to purchase $1,000 in Google Play gift cards and to send the numbers from the gift cards via return email. The woman then found out that the email was fraudulent, and the gift cards had been emptied. There were no suspects.
River rescue
When a dog ran out onto a canal to chase a goose the afternoon of Feb. 3 and broke through the ice, his owner followed him and fell through the ice as well. First responders were able to expedite their rescue using cold water rescue flotation and retrieval devices, the purchase of which was expedited after the recent river rescue performed to save a woman from a sinking car in the river with a commandeered civilian kayak. The dog was fine, and the owner declined transport to the hospital. Both were expected to recover fully following warming.
Wyandotte
Ignition keys taken from warming tow truck
A man reported the night of Jan. 27 that the ignition keys were missing from the tow truck he left warming in his driveway in the 900 block of Oak Street. The man said that during cold weather, when he is on call, he warms up the truck every two hours. He said the dispatch center told him the truck was turned off at 8:20 p.m., 10 minutes before he checked on it and found the keys gone.
The man thought a neighbor with whom he had disputed over parking could be a possible suspect. When approached by police officers, the neighbor claimed to have no knowledge of the keys, which were anonymously returned to the truck an hour later.
Package pilfered
A UPS package with $70 in merchandise was stolen the afternoon of Jan. 29 from outside an apartment door of an apartment building foyer in the 1700 block of Oak Street. UPS records indicate that the package was delivered at 3:26 p.m. When the man returned home at 7:40 p.m., the package, which contained a guitar effect pedal, guitar strings and a guitar glass slide, was gone. There was no surveillance video, and no suspects.
(Compiled by Zeinab Najm and Sue Suchyta.)