Allen Park
Retail employee arrested for embezzlement
An employee at Target, 3100 Fairlane Drive, was arrested the afternoon of Feb. 17 for embezzlement. Loss prevention employees observed a pattern of the employee taking items without paying for them during or immediately after her shift. On one occasion, she took a cosmetic item out of a box, returned the box to the shelf, and took the item without paying for it. Another time, she went through self-checkout, and only paid for two of the three hair care products in her possession. On a third occasion, she switched tags on two items, paying significantly less than the items were worth. She also took snack foods without paying for them.
When confronted, the woman provided a written confession. She said that she was “having a rough time at home, and made a mistake by stealing.” Her employment was terminated, and she was taken into police custody for booking, after which she was released on bond.
Drunken man found passed out in running car
A man slumped over the steering wheel of a running car initiated a police well-being check the evening of Feb. 16 at Sylvia’s Sub Shop, 5431 Allen Road. A man was found sleeping in the driver’s seat of a 2018 Ford Escape. When he awoke, officers detected a strong smell of intoxicants emanating from him, and observed that his eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred. There was an open beer bottle in the car’s cup holder. The man said it was the second beer he had consumed.
The man was able to complete some field sobriety tests, but failed others. A preliminary breath test was administered, and the man had a blood-alcohol content of 0.14; the limit for legally drunk in Michigan is 0.08.
He was taken into custody, and the vehicle impounded and towed. He was charged with liquor violations in a motor vehicle and operating while impaired.
Dearborn
Pizza Hut employee reports customer trouble
Police responded to Pizza Hut, 13136 Michigan Ave., Feb. 11 on a call of a customer who became belligerent while ordering over the phone.
The employee told officers that in addition to becoming belligerent, the customer threatened to come “handle” him during the call just before 7 p.m. According to the report, the employee added that he felt the customer was intoxicated at the time of the phone call. The customer’s phone number was provided to police.
The Pizza Hut employee was advised to contact police if further problems arise.
Police respond to neighborhood for construction issues
A resident called police to a house in 3330 block of Katherine Feb. 16 because of tree cutting and construction trouble from a neighbor’s house.
Once on the scene, officers spoke to the resident who said the trouble with her neighbors to the south began as soon as they moved in and wanted to cut down a tree.
According to the report, the neighbors are currently having siding replaced on their home and the resident said the construction company placed building materials up against the side of her house. When the resident asked construction workers to not place materials there, they removed them without complaint.
The resident said the neighbor was angry that she talked to the construction workers and called her a “bitch.” Also, police were informed by the resident that debris from the project has blown into her yard.
Police recommended that the resident call or speak to the construction manager regarding debris and that the building department also can verify that proper permits have been obtained.
She was also advised to contact police if there is an immediate issue with the neighbors.
Dearborn Heights
Items stolen from two vehicles overnight
Police responded to a house in the 23000 block of Ann Arbor Trail Feb. 7 on a report of missing items from two vehicles.
The resident told officers that his $200 green in-ear Beats by Dre headphones, his wife’s Apple iPhone and Apple Watch chargers were stolen from his Toyota Corolla and her GMC Acadia.
According to the report, the resident said the vehicles were possibly broken into overnight from Feb. 6. There is no suspect information.
Lincoln Park
Resident stops scrappers raiding his yard
A 63-year-old man confronted three scrappers the morning of Jan. 29 who were stealing items from his fenced backyard in the 1000 block of Pennsylvania. The man told police officers that when he confronted the trio, they returned a radiator they were attempting to take, but left with a steel lawn chair.
The resident described the scrappers as two white men and a white woman, driving a rusty older model white Chevrolet Suburban, which was pulling a 10-foot open trailer. There was no surveillance footage of the incident. Police officers checked the area and a local scrap yard, but were unable to locate the suspects.
Couple scare off thief trying to hot-wire their vehicle
A couple leaving the Moose Lodge, 1600 Fort St., the night of Jan. 29 discovered a man in the driver’s seat of their 2004 black Chevrolet Suburban attempting to hot-wire the vehicle. When they yelled at the man, described as white, 30 to 35 years old, with blond or red hair, he jumped into the passenger seat of a nearby dark-colored, new model truck, which did not have a license plate, and drove south down the alley parallel to Fort Street. The couple did not get a description of the driver.
The Suburban’s steering wheel column was removed and the ignition was punched out, an estimated $1,000 in damage. The couple said the vehicle had been unlocked. The Moose Lodge surveillance cameras were not functional, but police officers hope the surveillance footage from the nearby Save-A-Lot might have captured an image of the fleeing suspects.
Melvindale
Noisy neighbor’s car repeatedly vandalized
A 25-year-old man decided to move out of Gale Gardens Apartments after he notified police officers the afternoon of Feb. 17 that sugar had been dumped a second time into his car’s gas tank. The man admitted that neighbors have complained about the volume at which he plays music in his apartment, and he suggested they question the couple who live above him. The couple denied culpability, and said they do not know what the loud tenant looks like or what vehicle he drives. The man confirmed that he would be moving out that day.
Two package deliveries stolen from porch on same day
FedEx and US Postal Service packages, with contents valued at $600, were stolen Feb. 14 from the porch of a 46-year-old woman’s house in the 17900 block of Ruth Avenue. The woman said she had received online confirmation of both package deliveries, and a neighbor had seen the deliveries as well. Another neighbor has surveillance cameras, but said the woman’s house is not visible.
Riverview
Resident thinks key holder burglarized her apartment
A woman living in Rivergreen Apartments reported the night of Feb. 16 that jewelry valued at $150 and $80 in cash were stolen from her locked apartment without any signs of forced entry. She said the windows and doors were locked, and that she suspects an apartment complex key holder of the theft. She said she last saw the items the day before in the morning.
Identity thief orders shoes; delivery goes to victim’s house
A man reported Feb. 6 that an identity thief used his credit card to purchase two pair of Air Jordan shoes, which were then delivered to his house. He said he contacted the credit card company, which canceled the card. The victim believes his information might have been stolen during a recent trip to Florida. The victim was given an identity theft packet to fill out.
Southgate
Car tires purposely punctured
A woman discovered the morning of Feb. 16 that the driver’s side tires of her 2017 black Ford Escape were punctured overnight by an unknown vandal in the 12000 block of Eureka. The victim said there was a one-inch puncture in each tire. She said she could not think of anyone who would want to damage her car.
Wallet returned with another victim’s identification
A Southgate woman who works in Taylor told Southgate police that a person came to her home Feb. 1 to return a wallet they said they found on the side of the I-96 freeway in Detroit. The woman said the wallet was returned in pristine condition, contrary to outside weather conditions at the time. The woman said the wallet was stolen from her desk at work in Taylor Jan. 30, and she did not file a police report because she was able to cancel the credit and debit cards that were in the wallet. The victim said after the wallet was returned, she found inside her wallet contained identification from another woman, which she turned over to police officers. She said she did not know the other victim.
Taylor
Man swindled by fake DTE scam
A man who was swindled out of $998.77 on Feb. 14 reported to police the next day that he received a call purportedly from DTE Energy stating that he was $1,900 overdue on his bill, and if he did not want to have his power shut off, he needed to remit payment immediately. He was told to load gift cards with $998.77, and to then call a phone number and provide the gift card numbers, which he did.
The man later called DTE on his own to verify his balance, and spoke to some friends, who led him to realize he had been scammed. Security officials at the real DTE advised the man to file a police report.
Fraudulent loan taken out in woman’s name
A woman reported the afternoon of Feb. 15 that she received a call from Fifth Third Bank about a loan for $800 taken out in her name. The bank official said the loan was initiated in December 2017 and closed in April 2018 for lack of payment. She was told by the bank official to file a police report if she was not the person who initiated the loan.
Trenton
Gas station attendant victim of a pump and run
A gas station attendant at Marathon, 4350 W. Jefferson, reported to police Feb. 13 that a woman in a white minivan, with young children, attempted to pump gas without first going into the store to pay. Because she had young children with her, the clerk said she turned the pump on as a courtesy. However, the woman then drove away without paying for the $39 in gasoline. She said the woman has tried to leave without paying before, but another customer prevented her from doing so. The clerk said she wants to press charges, because store policy requires her to pay for thefts of gas which were not prepaid.
Wyandotte
‘A bunch of beers and a Fireball’
A 49-year-old Ecorse man was arrested in the early morning hours of Feb. 9 for operating while impaired when police officers saw him driving south on Biddle near Emmons, driving 15 to 20 mph in a 35 mph zone and swerving in and out of his lane.
Officers initiated a traffic stop, and noticed the man smelled strongly of intoxicants. He was swaying side to side inside the vehicle, and was unable to find his registration or proof of insurance. After a delay, he was able to locate his driver’s license.
The man’s speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. When asked how much he had to drink, he said, “too much.” When asked what he had been drinking, he said “a bunch of beers and Fireball.” Fireball is a cinnamon-flavored whiskey.
He was asked to step outside of his vehicle, and had to use both arms to balance himself against the car. He attempted and failed numerous field sobriety tests.
A preliminary breath test was administered, and the man had a blood alcohol content of 0.21, more than two-and-a-half times the 0.08 limit for legally drunk in Michigan.
He had no prior license suspensions and had never been arrested for operating while impaired. His vehicle was impounded and towed, and he was taken into custody.
Drunken driver rear-ends vehicle stopped at light
A drunken driver who rear-ended a driver stopped at a red light in the early morning hours of Feb. 11 claimed, “I’m not drunk. You can go to the bar and ask the beer how much I drank.”
The 29-year-old Riverview woman, who rear-ended the vehicle at Fort Street and Ford Avenue, smelled strongly of intoxicants, and had red, watery eyes and a flushed face. When asked if she had been drinking, she said she had one beer and two shots. She said she had been at a bar, but did not say which one. Her speech was slurred, and she had a slow reaction time answering questions. She failed numerous field sobriety tests.
A preliminary breath test was administered, and the woman had a blood-alcohol content of 0.166, more than twice the 0.08 limit for legally drunk in Michigan.
Her driver’s license was valid, and she had no prior alcohol violations. Her vehicle was impounded and towed, and she was taken into custody and cited for operating while intoxicated and failing to stop in an assured clear distance.
(Compiled by Zeinab Najm and Sue Suchyta.)