Allen Park
Shoplifter found with narcotic paraphernalia
A 41-year-old Detroit man was arrested for retail fraud and possession of narcotic equipment Aug. 27 when he attempted to shoplift sweatshirts and sweatpants from Dunham’s Sports, 23150 W. Outer Drive.
A store employee called police officers when they saw the suspect removing security sensors from clothing while still in the store.
When the man attempted to leave the store with the stolen merchandise concealed in his backpack, he was confronted by police officers, and confessed to the theft.
A records check revealed that the man had multiple retail fraud warrants from both Allen Park and Lincoln Park.
During a search, police officers found a hypodermic syringe filled with suspected heroin in the man’s pocket, and a glass pipe typically used for smoking crack cocaine.
While the man was being transported to the Allen Park police station, he began to sweat profusely, and began to lose consciousness. Allen Park emergency medical technicians met them at the police station, and immediately transported him to Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn.
Man scammed out of $5,000 in gift cards by con artist
An Allen Park man reported Aug. 26 that he was the victim of a con artist who claimed his accounts had been breached, and he would be arrested if he didn’t immediately wire restitution by means of gift card numbers.
The victim said the con artist claimed to be with the Social Security Administration, and said his accounts had been breached, with multiple purchases charged to them. He was then instructed to purchase 10 gift cards, each valued at $500, from Target. He then was told to scratch off the security strips and reveal the numbers on the back of each gift card.
After the victim complied with the $5,000 request, the con arrest demanded an additional $37,000 wire transfer, which finally aroused the victim’s suspicions.
He then reported the incident to police officers, who tried to help him get the gift cars cancelled through the Target corporate office.
Dearborn
Man cited for reckless driving
While on patrol in the area of Prospect and Schlaff Aug. 20, police observed a red Dodge Charger driving east on Prospect approaching Schlaff.
The Charger began to make a U-turn and then accelerated at a high rate of speed while doing doughnuts. According to the report, the Charger made multiple doughnuts causing loud noises and an accumulation of smoke in a residential neighborhood.
A traffic stop was conducted at Schlaff and Lanson. When police made contact with and identified the driver they recognized him from previous contacts. He was placed under arrest for reckless driving, searched and place in the police patrol vehicle. The driver was issued a citation for reckless driving and released.
Police advised the driver on reckless driving and released him with his Charger.
Employee reports damaged vehicle
A victim of vehicle damage told police she parked her gray Ford Explorer in the parking lot of the Dearborn Truck Plant, 3001 Miller Road, Sept. 1, and found it damaged.
The Explorer was parked at the plant where the victim works before her shift, and the next day she returned to find the driver side of her vehicle intentionally keyed. The scratch went from the front door to the rear door.
There was also minor damage on the passenger side doors. After discovering the damage, the victim immediately contacted security and was advised they would review security video and contact her with any possible suspect information.
A case report was completed and the victim was advised to contact police if any additional information was discovered. No suspect information was provided in the police report.
Dearborn Heights
Social Security, credit card numbers obtained by Pennsylvania pet website
A victim of fraud called police to file a report Aug. 17 after his Social Security number and credit card information were given to an out-of-state pet website.
On Aug. 12 and 13, the victim was in contact with someone via email about purchasing a cat on the website dazzlingforscottishkitten.com, which was a company allegedly located in Pennsylvania.
The victim said whomever he was speaking with asked for his credit card information and Social Security number, which he gave both.
According to the report, the unknown person was going to charge $2,370 for the cat, vaccinations, shipping from Pennsylvania and other fees. The victim did not hear back from the unknown person after Aug. 13 and both the website and email addresses have been taken down.
He notified his credit card company to hold all of his accounts.
Redbox screen shattered at CVS
An employee of CVS/pharmacy, 25762 Van Born Road, reported damage to a Redbox kiosk Aug. 27.
The touch screen located outside the business was shattered, according to the report. A customer told an employee about the damage about 12:30 p.m., but there are no security cameras aimed at the kiosk to possibly show any suspect.
The employee said a customer had left the store upset just before the damage was reported, but had no other information linking the man to the shattered kiosk.
According to a Redbox repair technician, replacing the screen costs about $700.
Lincoln Park
Open sunroof facilitated theft of vehicle sound system
An after-market sound system, valued at $200, was stolen from a vehicle parked, with the sunroof open, from 4 and 4:30 p.m. Sept. 2, in the parking lot of Meijer, 3710 Dix.
Meijer loss prevention personnel said they would check surveillance footage and forward any relevant evidence to police detectives.
The victim was provided with a report number and advised to follow up with her insurance company.
Con artist tricks victim into paying for new Social Security number
A 19-year-old man was tricked Sept. 2 by a caller claiming to be with the Social Security Administration, who said the victim’s account had been compromised and he needed to pay for a new card.
He was instructed to purchase two Best Buy gift cards, and to then provide the card numbers to the caller.
When the man told his family what happened, they told him he had been swindled, and urged him to report the fraud to police officers.
A Best Buy customer service representative said the gift cards were redeemed at a Best Buy store in Miami, Florida.
Melvindale
Tenant landlord dispute defused
The father of a man negotiating with his former landlord asked police officers to intervene Aug. 2, when he feared the two would not be able to resolve their issues peacefully.
The father’s fears, however, were unfounded. The two men, who were talking in the 2400 block of Bloomfield Avenue, were able to reach a resolution regarding property which the tenant left behind, which the landlord inadvertently damaged. The men reached a mutually acceptable financial arrangement, after which both parties were advised and parted peacefully.
Petitioner advised of trespassing provisions
The owner of a gas station in the 18000 block of Allen Road called police officers July 27, and said a petition signature collector was harassing his customers to sign petitions.
The business owner said one petition was for a Melvindale marijuana dispensary and another was to revoke the governor’s emergency powers.
The petitioner claimed she had a right to solicit signatures. Police officers advised her on the intricacies of trespassing on private property, after which she moved to a nearby convenience store to continue to seek signatures.
Riverview
License plate larceny
A license plate was reported stolen the morning of Aug. 1 from a white 2020 Chevy Equinox parked in the 17000 block of Fort Street.
There were no suspects, and the license plate was entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network as stolen.
Presidential campaign sign stolen
The theft of a Biden campaign sign, the night of Aug. 28, from a lawn in the 17000 block of Kennebec Street, prompted a resident to file a police report.
He said a neighbor noticed an unfamiliar red pickup parked in front of his house during the time period in which the sign was stolen, but he said there were no actual witnesses to the theft.
Southgate
Debit card fraudulently used in Mississippi
A fraudulent charge of $181 on Aug. 31, at a Mississippi Walmart, showed up on a woman’s checking account statement, she said Sept. 2 when she filed a police report.
The victim said she has no idea who might have charged a purchase to her debit card, which she said was never out of her possession. Her credit union told her to provide them with a police report number, after which they would refund the money to her account.
Con artist posing as man’s boss tricks him into sending gift card numbers
A man said on Sept. 3 that a con artist posing as his boss had sent him a series of text messages and emails, instructing him to buy gift cards and forward the code numbers to him.
When the man finally had a face-to-face meeting with his boss, he learned that he had been scammed by a stranger, and the funds on the gift cards had been depleted.
Taylor
Storm door damaged
A resident said a metal storm door was damaged the afternoon of Aug. 22, on the north side of her house, in the 6800 block of Syracuse Avenue, while she was at the grocery store.
The storm door appeared to have been kicked inward on the bottom left side. The main door was undamaged.
Her son was home at the time the damage occurred, but he was napping, and said he did not hear any noise.
Trenton
Cash app used to fraudulently draw funds from victim’s debit card
Purchases totaling $642 were fraudulently charged to a woman’s debit Mastercard on Aug. 17, with the transactions also illegally using her grandson’s name.
The victim, who filed a police report Aug. 18, said the purchases were all performed using the Cash App online service. She said she has no idea how her account number or grandson’s name were obtained.
The victim said she closed the account, and would provide her financial institution with the police report number. She was advised to report any future suspicious transactions.
Identity thief tries to cash check, flees when questioned
Police officers were called to Citizens Bank, 4480 Fort St., on Aug. 19 when a suspicious woman was trying to cash a $2,893 check, using a passport card with a photo which didn’t match quite her appearance.
A spokesperson said branches of Citizens Bank have been warned of similar scams.
The account holder was called, and she said that not only was she not trying to cash a check, she was out of state.
When a manager tried to question the woman further, she left abruptly, leaving the uncashed check and the passport card behind. She reportedly left the area in silver sport utility vehicle, driving west on Van Horn Road.
The woman was described as black, 5 feet 1 inches to 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing about 180 pounds. She was wearing a black face mask, a gray sweatshirt with the hood up and black yoga pants.
Wyandotte
Con artist posing as law enforcement tries to coerce victim to buy gift cards
A man posing as a law enforcement official Sept. 3 tried to con a woman into buying gift cards to transfer money to him, after spinning a story about how a car seized in Texas with narcotics in it also contained credit cards and identity documents in her name.
She was instructed to purchase eBay gift cards, and was told that two men would arrive at her apartment later that day to provide documentation and pick up the gift cards.
When the woman went to purchase gift cards from both a pharmacy and a dollar store, she was warned by clerks at both locations that she was likely being scammed.
The woman then reported the situation to police officers. She said she had given the man her Social Security number, and was advised to file a report with the Social Security Administration.
The woman was made aware of the scam before she revealed any gift card numbers. No one attempted to contact her further by phone or at her apartment, and further calls to the phone number went unanswered.
Man beaten and robbed by 3 men on mountain bikes
A man was beaten and robbed at 5:51 a.m. Sept. 6 by three men who passed by on mountain bikes while he was sitting on his apartment steps in the 600 block of Goddard Road.
The man, who was later taken to Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn, said he waved at the men, who stopped, held him down, beat him in the face and stole his wallet.
The man said his wallet contained his driver’s license, two credit cards and $100 in cash.
Police officers noted scratches and bruising on his face. He was advised to cancel his credit cards.
Police officials did not release a description of the three suspects.