Allen Park
Suspect arrested for trio of rubbish bin fires
A 56-year-old Taylor man seen on surveillance video was arrested and charged with arson the morning of June 19 on suspicion of setting fire to the rubbish bin behind the Allen Park Civic Center, 15800 White Ave. He was also suspected of starting fires in rubbish bins at nearby Metropolitan Furniture, 6670 Allen Road, and Say It with Flowers Florist, 7635 Allen Road, all of which are within a short walking distance.
A man matching the image seen on the surveillance video, wearing an orange shirt and blue jeans, with a gray sweatshirt with the number “11” draped over his back, was found by police officers canvassing the area.
When searched, the man had six lighters in a pocket, with a bottle of lighter fluid in his duffle bag.
Dearborn
Over $2,000 in designer items stolen from hotel room
The victim of a hotel room theft reported $2,255 in missing designer items to police June 12.
According to the report, the theft took place while the victim was staying with her daughter and grandchildren at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, 24041 Michigan Ave., from May 12 to 18. The victim told police she believed the hotel maid was a suspect and was alone while the room was being cleaned. The victim reported the missing items to management after checking out, and gave a description of the maid.
While the theft was being investigated, the hotel management informed a police detective that the maid who cleaned the room was fired.
The items stolen were $1,200 Louis Vuitton sneakers, a $525 Louis Vuitton purse, a $130 wallet and three belts with a total value of $400.
Man reports possible gas siphoning
Police were dispatched to a house in the 2840 block of Gertrude June 18 on a report of someone siphoning gas out of a vehicle.
The victim told police that at 1:30 a.m. he heard a noise near his vehicle that was parked on the street in front of his house. When he went outside to check what the noise was, he saw an old unknown sedan traveling west on Dartmouth with its lights off. The man said that when he checked his vehicle that same morning he noticed a stain on the ground near the gas cap.
The man told police he suspected that someone was siphoning gas out to it. He informed police that he didn’t wish to make a report, but wanted officers to be aware of the situation.
Dearborn Heights
Two suspects steal Nike shoes from Famous Footwear
An employee of Famous Footwear, 26486 Ford Road, called police to the store June 13 after two men allegedly stole two pairs of Nike shoes.
She told officers that the two men entered the store and were acting suspicious as they walked around near the children’s section. After the men left, the employee noticed two pair of Nike children’s shoes, in a rainbow color and blue color, were missing from their boxes. According to the report the shoes we’re valued at $116.58.
The employee told police the men left in a blue vehicle, possibly a Mercury.
Both were described as black males with patchy facial hair. One was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with red decals on the shoulder and a zipper; the other was wearing a black zippered sweatshirt with no hood.
Active shooter reports deemed false
The Police Department announced in a July 3 Facebook post that reports of an active shooter in Del Taco, 5644 N. Telegraph Road, were false.
Officers responded to the location, secured it without locating anyone actively shooting and determined that there was no threat.
According to the post, police were investigating and continuing to check the area. Police asked people not to call 911 asking if there is a shooter somewhere because someone posted it on social media. The non-emergency line phone number, 313-277-6770, was provided in the post for those needing to report anything non-life threatening or a non-emergency.
Lincoln Park
Bicycle stolen from dollar store on Dix
A green Huffy 20-inch Beach Cruiser Bike was stolen between 11 and 11:30 a.m. June 21 from the front of Dollar Tree, 1732 Dix Ave. The victim, a 26-year-old man, said the bike had worn, oversized tan tires, with red wear marks near the tread, and a 50-cubic-centimeter engine. He said the bike was valued at $250. The theft was not captured on surveillance video.
Melvindale
Charger unchallenged
A driver in a blue Dodge Charger, with white stripes and tinted windows, who was reportedly driving recklessly the night of June 21 in the 3600 block of McKitrick, left tire marks on the street, but managed to disappear before police officers arrived. Officers conducted followup surveillance in the area in an attempt to apprehend the suspect.
Riverview
Woman suspects contractor of stealing jewelry from apartment
A woman living in Riverview Co-op Apartments, in the 13000 block of Pennsylvania, said June 18 that a 14-karat gold ring, valued at $300, and a 14-karat, 24-inch gold chain, valued at $500, were missing from her apartment. She said the ring was in an unlocked box on her dresser, and she last recalled seeing the jewelry in February.
She said her adult children have a key to her apartment, but they must be buzzed in. She said she believes contractors working on the apartments have access to the apartments. She said she had not reported the incident to the building manager.
Restaurant van stolen
A Chicken Shack manager said that about 2 a.m. June 17, a white 2004 GMC Savana van, with a refrigeration unit atop the vehicle, was stolen from the drive-through lane, where it was parked under the awning. The restaurant, at 17168 Fort St., has surveillance video, which shows a vehicle parking on nearby Hunting Street, and an individual exiting the passenger door. The van was entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network as stolen.
Southgate
Errant baseball shatters SUV window
An errant baseball used during a pre-game warmup accidentally shattered the rear passenger side window of a 2016 Ford Expedition parked nearby. The vehicle owner, who was in attendance to watch the game, was given a police report number.
Woman’s debit card account used to wire money via Western Union
A woman filed an identity theft report June 22 after her bank flagged and notified her of two suspicious transactions which occurred June 18, in which $944.50 and $1,990.50 were sent via Western Union using her debit card account. The victim said the debit card was in her possession during that time.
The woman said her bank credited her account, canceled the old card and provided her with a new debit card.
Taylor
Taylor High School maintenance worker’s iPhone X stolen
A Taylor High School maintenance worker’s Apple iPhone X, valued at $1,000, was stolen the afternoon of June 24 from her purse, which was inside the bay area of the school’s attached maintenance garage. The victim said she was at the principal’s office at the time of the theft. She said her wallet had been removed from her purse as well, but nothing was taken.
The victim said she saw a thin black man of unknown age running away from the school, toward the intersection of Goddard and Beech Daly, wearing a long-sleeved orange shirt and blue jeans. She said there is no surveillance video in that part of the school.
Woman’s identification stolen overnight from unlocked car
A woman living in the 12200 block of Pine Street said June 24 that identity cards and documents were stolen overnight from her unlocked vehicle. The missing items include her work identification card, vehicle registration, vehicle insurance documents, her Wayne County Community College District identification card and Social Security documents. There were no suspects.
Trenton
Catalytic converters cut from cars
Three cases of catalytic converters cut from the underside of vehicles were reported June 22 in the area west of Fort Street and south of King Road.
On Vernon Street, a catalytic converter was stolen about 4:30 a.m. from a 2005 Honda Element parked in front of a residence. The victim said the noise from a saw woke him up. He said he saw an individual dressed in black, carrying a reciprocating saw, and a vehicle parked next to his car. Police canvassed the area but were unable to locate any suspicious individuals.
Later that evening, also on Vernon, the owner of a 2006 Honda Element, who had parked his vehicle the day before in a nearby parking lot, reported that the catalytic converter was stolen.
A third theft was reported that evening from nearby Baldwin Street, where the catalytic converter was cut from a 2003 Chevy Malibu parked on the street the day before.
Wyandotte
Swerving, drunken driver found with cocaine, open alcohol containers
A 21-year-old Lincoln Park man was arrested in the early morning hours of June 16 for operating while intoxicated and cocaine possession, while his passenger, a 24-year-old Lincoln Park man, was charged with having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, loitering where drugs are illegally used, and littering, which was triggered by him throwing a beer bottle out of the car window when they were driving in front of a police vehicle.
Police officers noticed the driver, westbound on Oak Street near 15th Street, driving at an inconsistent speed, and repeatedly swerving from the parking lane, to the travel lane, into the turn lane, then back to the travel lane and then into the parking lane repeatedly.
When the passenger tossed a beer bottle out the window into a parking lot, where it shattered, a traffic stop was initiated.
The vehicle smelled strongly of intoxicants, and the driver said he had recently left a bar. The driver’s breath was boozy, his eyes were red and watery, and his speech was slurred. When answering questions, his reaction time was delayed. He said he had six beers earlier.
When the driver exited the vehicle, he was unsteady on his feet, and a bag with a white powdery substance fell from his lap onto the driver’s seat. He admitted to it being his cocaine.
The passenger had a cold, open beer bottle next to him, and another beer bottle in a cupholder.
The driver was given multiple field sobriety tests, which he failed. A preliminary breath test was administered, and the man had a blood-alcohol content of 0.153, almost twice the 0.08 limit for legally drunk in Michigan. A field test for cocaine was positive as well.
Both men were arrested and taken to the police station for booking, after which they were held. The vehicle, a 2013 Chevy, was impounded and towed.
(Compiled by Zeinab Najm and Sue Suchyta.)