Allen Park
Drunken driver with multiple license suspensions arrested
A 39-year-old River Rouge man was arrested the evening of Dec. 28 after a traffic stop for an expired license plate revealed that he was operating a motor vehicle while impaired and driving with a suspended license.
The driver, who was traveling north on Park Avenue near Champaign, was driving a tan 1999 Chevy Suburban, with a license plate which expired last March.
After the police officer activated his vehicle’s emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop, the driver abruptly pulled into a driveway in the 7800 block of Park Avenue. The passenger exited the vehicle as the officer approached, claiming his girlfriend lived there. He was ordered back into the vehicle.
The police officer then approached the driver, who stated that his driver’s license was invalid, and said that they did not know the resident at the house at which they had pulled into the driveway, but had done so merely in the hope of avoiding a traffic stop.
The driver was then handcuffed and placed in the back of the police vehicle. A record check revealed that his license had been suspended 12 times, and the vehicle he was driving was uninsured.
The man smelled strongly of intoxicants, and admitted to drinking earlier. He failed multiple field sobriety tests, and refused a preliminary breath test. He was then taken to the police station for booking, while the passenger was given courtesy transportation from the scene of the traffic stop.
The vehicle was impounded and towed. A search revealed an empty bottle of Fireball whiskey under the driver’s front seat.
At the station, the man was read his Chemical Breath Test Rights, after which he consented to a preliminary breath test. He had a blood-alcohol content of 0.19, more than twice the 0.08 limit for legally drunk in Michigan.
He was cited for operating while impaired, driving while his license was suspended, refusing a breath test, no proof of insurance and having an expired license plate.
Dearborn
Suspicious woman takes photos of resident’s garage
Police were called to a house in the 1900 block of Dacosta Jan. 22 for a suspicious person taking photos of a resident’s property.
The resident said an unknown heavy set white woman with blonde hair was on the south side of the house taking pictures from the street. She also took photos of the resident’s garage and was last seen walking east on Watsonia.
According to the report, the resident also observed a white man with dark hair, driving a larger sedan. The woman was parked in the resident’s neighbor’s driveway across the street and taking pictures of that address. Next, the man got into the vehicle and drove away east on Watsonia.
The resident said he hadn’t seen the man or woman in the neighborhood before and thought it was odd. A check of the area for the man, woman and vehicle was negative.
Man arrested for disorderly conduct, open intoxication
A vehicle playing loud music and a man yelling in the parking lot of Sacred Heart Church, 22430 Michigan Ave. was reported to police Jan. 31.
Once at the scene, officers observed a tan Buick Rendezvous in the northwest corner of the parking lot improperly parked, taking up two spots. They also heard someone yelling and loud music coming from the vehicle.
Police made contact with the man where they detected the strong odor of intoxicants emanating from the man’s breath and vehicle. According to the report, there were three empty 12-ounce glass bottles of Budweiser near the passenger seat and a half-empty 24-ounce can of Budweiser inside the center console cupholder.
The man was asked several times to turn off the vehicle and step out, but he did not comply. He then became belligerent and loud toward officers. An officer reached inside the vehicle, unlocked the door and asked the man to get out of the vehicle, to which he did not comply again.
Officers removed the man from the vehicle and arrested him. He was transported to the police station without incident where he was issued a citation for open intoxication and disorderly conduct.
A bond of $400 for each disorderly conduct and open intoxication was set.
Dearborn Heights
Radio, cash stolen from vehicle
While on patrol conducting a subdivision check in the area of Colgate and Detroit streets Jan. 21, police observed a green Ford Focus with a smashed driver’s side window.
According to the report, the damage appeared to be new with the shattered glass inside and outside the vehicle. It also appeared that the vehicle was rummaged through and a radio missing.
Officers made contact with the registered vehicle owner in the 3900 block of Detroit who confirmed his Pioneer AVH 80 radio valued at $600 was stolen.
After conducting a brief check of the Focus, the owner said $80 in cash was missing from the center console. The owner informed police that he arrived home at 1 a.m. and was awake until 4 a.m. but didn’t hear anything that would alert him to the break-in.
The owner called his roommate who said he did not notice anything out the ordinary when he left to work about 5:30 a.m. that morning.
A search for security cameras at nearby houses was negative. There is no suspect information.
Resident reports Social Security identify theft
Police were dispatched to 21100 Powers Jan. 19 after a resident called to inform officers he was a victim of identity theft.
The resident said that about 12:45 a.m. that day he received an email from Credit Karma that someone filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy with his Social Security number. According to the report, the resident said he had not filed bankruptcy. He was advised by Credit Karma to file a police report so his claim could be handled.
The resident also was advised that he should go to the Social Security Office to discuss the issues that he has been having.
Lincoln Park
Cash, identity documents stolen overnight from unlocked vehicle
A wallet containing cash, credit cards, a driver’s license, a health insurance card and a Social Security card were reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle the morning of Jan. 26 by the victim, a 33-year-old woman living in the 800 block of Merrill Avenue.
She said the residence had a Ring surveillance camera doorbell, but it did not capture any footage of the vehicle larcenist. While police officers were on the scene, a neighbor approached them to report another vehicle break-in.
Melvindale
Propane tanks stolen
Nine propane tanks were discovered stolen the morning of Jan. 15 from a storage cage outside Melvindale Fresh Market, 2363 Oakwood Blvd. The padlock, which appeared to have been cut with bolt cutters, was found nearby on the ground. The stolen tanks were valued at $50 each, which represented a $450 loss for the proprietor.
Riverview
Jewelry stolen from unlocked car in driveway
Diamond stud earrings valued at $150, a garnet gemstone ring valued at $150, and $20 in cash were reported stolen Jan. 6 from an unlocked green Mercury Milan in the 14000 block of Shenandoah Drive. There were no witness or suspects.
Cash stolen from American House employee’s purse in staff work room
A Taylor woman, who is a member of the medical team at American House, 20300 Fort St., reported Dec. 26 that $28 was stolen from her purse, which was rummaged through in the employee staff room during her afternoon shift. She said she saw a new employee sitting near her purse at one point in time, but did not think anything of it. She was advised to call police if any addition information became available.
Southgate
Target card fraudulently opened in man’s name; balance run up
A man reported that a Target card was fraudulently opened in his name and $955 in charges run up on Dec. 27 at Southland Mall. He said he does not have a Target credit card, and did not give anyone permission to open an account in his name. Among the items purchased by the identity thief were diapers, socks and several pre-paid service cards.
Woman buys gift cards for Social Security con artist
A con artist claiming to be from the Social Security Administration convinced a woman on Jan. 30 that all her bank accounts would be frozen and she would be arrested unless she purchased $997 in Walmart gift cards and read the account numbers to them.
The woman said she went to Walmart and purchased gift cards for $500 and a $497, staying on the phone with the person throughout her transaction, and read the gift card and PIN numbers to the caller.
The caller then instructed her to use her credit cards to purchase four gift cards, for $500 each, which she refused to do. The caller then told her to get $2,000 in cash from her bank, which she did. Fortunately, the victim’s cell phone ran out of charge while she was in the store, and while she purchased the gift cards, she was unable to reach the con artist by phone after charging her cell.
The woman then filed a police report. She said she provided the caller with her Social Security number.
Taylor
iPhone package delivery stolen
A package with two Sprint Apple iPhone 11 cell phones, delivered by FedEx the afternoon of Jan. 27, was stolen from under the doormat near a man’s front door before he could retrieve them following email notification of the delivery. The victim said the merchandise had a $1,000 value.
Trenton
Adult tricycle stolen from outside apartment
An adult tricycle was reported stolen Jan. 16 from outside of an apartment building on Truax. The victim said he had last seen the tricycle Jan. 3 or 4, and did not remember whether he had secured the tricycle with its lock, which was missing along with the tricycle. The white Schwinn tricycle, valued at $300, has a black basket on it, with a hammer and Frisbee in the basket. He said there was a dent in the left fender. The victim said he did not know the tricycle’s serial number.
Wyandotte
Couple found sleeping in car with drug paraphernalia
Two self-confessed heroin addicts, a 22-year-old Wyandotte man and a 20-year-old Trenton woman, were reported to police officers in the early morning hours of Jan. 5, where they were found sleeping in the back seat of a car at Pine and Fifth streets, with syringes visible in the car.
Police officers awoke the couple, who said they were sleeping in the car because they had been locked out of their parents’ houses. The man, when searched, had paraphernalia used to smoke crack cocaine. Both claimed responsibility for the syringes in the car, which they said they used to inject heroin.
Both were searched, and no contraband was found. Both were cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, and released at the scene.
(Compiled by Zeinab Najm and Sue Suchyta.)