Friday, June 17, 2005
Residential and Business Crime Alert for June 17, 2005
Residential and Business Crime Alert
June 17, 2005
Recent Incidents
Unarmed Robberies / Arrest
Mobil Gas, 25 E. 14 Mile and BP Gas, 2989 Crooks, June 13, 5:50 AM and 6:00 AM. A subject walked into each gas station and demanded money, each time claiming to be armed and threatening the clerk. The suspect was arrested approximately 9 minutes after the second robbery and is in custody pending $250,000 Cash bond.
Larcenies
Lifetime Fitness, 4700 Investment, 6/10, 8:00 – 8:45 AM. A 2003 Buick Rendezvous and a 2000 Chevrolet Venture had the windows smashed and a wallet and purse were stolen.
Marinellis, 4924 Rochester, 06/10 12:00-12:30 PM. A 2005 and a 2003 Ford F 150 had windows smashed out. One lost a laptop and the other a briefcase.
The Church at 6363 Livernois, 06/10, 12:30-1:30 PM. An unlocked 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix was entered and a purse, cell phone, and a camera were stolen.
Oakland Mall, 412 W. 14 Mile, 6/13 9:30 AM- 4:30 PM. The wheel covers were stolen from a 2005 GMC Envoy.
Ronald Dr., 6/13 12:00 AM – 6:00 AM. An unlocked 2003 Jeep was entered and a flashlight and 20 CDs were stolen.
Border’s Outlet, 6/4, 4:40-7:00 PM. An employee’s purse was stolen from the back room while she worked. Calls were made on the cell phone and a credit card was used to buy gas.
Westlake Ct, 6/14, 2:20 AM – 9:00 AM. A 1989 Chevy Camaro and a 2002 Chevy Impala that were parked on the street were broken into causing extensive damage (convertible top cut and window smashed.) Both cars were rummaged through, but it appears that nothing was stolen.
Breeze Hill Place, 6/8. Someone entered an unlocked garage and stole several tools, including a Dewalt drill, a Milwaukee Drill and Router, 2 Porter Cable brad guns, and a Kregg pocket-holer system, all valued at over $1200.
Larson Middle School, 2222 E. Long Lake, 5/13-5/17. Someone stole a trumpet that was left in the band room over the weekend.
Evanswood Street, 6/12-6/13, 9:00 PM – 7:00 AM. It appears that someone entered an unlocked 1999 Mercury Marquis that was parked in the drive. The glovebox was left open, change was missing from the dash, and 2 tickets to the Gallagher concert at the
Royal Oak Music Theatre were missing from the visor.
Vernmoor Street, 6/14-6/15, 10:00 PM – 10:00 AM. A cement deer figure was stolen from the corner of the yard.
Bally’s, 203 W. Big Beaver, 616, 7:40 Am – 8:25 AM. A 2002 GMC Yukon had the front passenger window smashed and the owner’s purse stolen from the front seat.
Northpointe Street, 6/13 – 6/14, 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM. A 1995 Pontiac Firebird that was parked in the driveway had the passenger side window smashed and the stereo and speakers stolen.
Coolidge near Buckthorn, 6/16, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM. An unlocked 2003 Dodge Ram pickup was parked at the construction site. Someone entered the truck and stole cash and a money clip from the briefcase on the seat.
Stolen Autos
Lonero Engineering, 2050 Stephenson, 6/10-6/13 12:00PM – 1:30 PM. Some broke into and attempted to steal a 1998 Jaguar XK8.
On 6/13, The Detroit Police Department recovered a 1995 Chevy Astro van that had been stolen from 1800 E. Maple ion Troy on 3/16/05. The vehicle had extensive damage when it was recovered, and the license plate was not recovered.
Home Invasions and Breaking and Entering
Norton Street, 6/13, 10:30 –11:15 AM. A bedroom window was opened and the house entered. A computer and monitor were stolen. The victim suspects her ex-husband, however, he claims to have an alibi.
Kosch Food Store, 100 W. Big Beaver, 6/13, 4:00 – 5:00 AM. The business was entered by unknown means and the safe was dismantled. Approximately $145 in cash and coin was stolen.
Somerset Blvd., 6/14, 12:30 PM – 8:50 PM. A door was pried open and the home was ransacked. It appears that nothing was stolen.
Two Tailors, 3968 Rochester, 6/15-6/17, 6:30 PM – 9:30 AM. Someone cut a hole in the roof and lowered themselves into the business. Once inside, they cut a hole in the wall that connects to the Massoud Jewelers next door in an attempt to enter that business. Massoud’s alarm sounded at 1:30 AM, which likely scared off the perpetrators before they could make entry.
Retail Fraud
Neiman Marcus, 2705 W. Big Beaver, 6/13 6:21 PM. A juvenile from Troy was arrested for stealing a $147 Prada shirt.
Marshall Fields, 500 W. 14 Mile, 6/13, 8:59 PM. A black male in his early 20’s, 5’7”, with his hair braided and a moustache, grabbed approximately 40 items (Pepe Jean shorts and shirts, and Lucky Denim shorts) and ran out the doors to a waiting silver Mazda 2 door with a sunroof and hatchback.
Marshall Fields, 500 W. 14 Mile, 6/14, 1:40 PM. A 17-year-old black female was arrested after concealing $361 worth of merchandise in the diaper bag that she was carrying. She was with 2 other black females, who also helped conceal items in the bag. The trio had a baby with them. The other 2 were able to escape with the baby in an unknown vehicle.
Kohl’s, 500 John-R, 6/14, 11:40 AM. 2 white males, 1 wearing a tank-top undershirt, stole 5 comforters and fled in a red 2005 Ford Explorer that registers as a lease car.
Marshall Fields, 2750 W. Big Beaver, 6/15, 5:00 – 6:00 PM. A 17-year-old female from
Farmington Hills was arrested after stealing $416 worth of clothing.
Kohls, 500 John-R, 616, 1:50 PM. Three females from Sterling Heights (30, 31, and 56 years old) worked together to steal $392 worth of clothing. The 30-year-old had a prior conviction for Retail Fraud.
Lacoste, 2801 W. Big Beaver, 616, 12:30 PM. An 18-year-old female from Clarkston was arrested after concealing a $72 shirt in her bag.
JC Penney, 700 W. 14 Mile, 6/16, 1:45 PM. 14 and 18-year-old brothers from Detroit were arrested after each selected jewelry from the counter and concealed it.
Domestics and Civil Matters
A 13-year-old male was arrested for punching and kicking his 17-year-old brother.
Officers stood by while a woman gathered personal effects from the home she shares with her soon-to-be-ex-husband.
Minnesota Street, 6/14, 8:30 PM. A dispute over expenses caused extended family to contact the Police to help sort it out. They were referred to civil court.
On 6/14 at 9:35 PM, on Coolidge, a 57-year-old homeless woman was taken to the hospital for an evaluation after she talked about killing herself. She was also highly intoxicated.
Marble Ct., 6/14, 1:30 PM. One resident dumped wood chips on the cul-de-sac in an effort to “beautify the area.” Another resident thought that he was just dumping the chips to dispose of them. The one doing the work was advised to communicate his intentions beforehand to avoid confusion.
Wisconsin Street, 6/12, 8:00 PM. A resident reported that her brother, who is living with her, slammed a door on her arm.
Dorchester Street, 6/15, 10:00 PM. A 25-year-old male assaulted his 23-year-old girlfriend. He was arrested and served with a Personal Protection Order, which had not yet been served.
Troy Officers responded to 2 reports of domestic trouble in which no assault occurred and no action was necessary. Officers were called to stand by to keep the peace due to past hostilities. In another case, Officers assisted the father of a 17-year-old who was attempting to have her committed for evaluation.
Assaults
A father reported that his 14-year-old daughter had left the house without permission and was with a 23-year-old man, who the father learned was supplying the girl and a 15-year-old friend with alcohol. Juvenile detectives are investigating the adult for crimes against other teenaged girls as well. He was arrested on 6/14 for the assaults on another victim.
On Somerset Blvd, 6/14, at 6:00 PM, a 13-year-old boy assaulted another 13-year-old boy on the basketball court. The attacker was turned over to his father.
Kirts Blvd., 6/15, 5:45 PM. A 54-yar-old male resident allowed a 47-year-old friend to stay at his home for a few days, under the condition that there be no alcohol consumption. When he discovered that the friend had been drinking, the resident found a bottle of vodka and tried to pour it out. The friend tried to wrestle the bottle away and, in the process, stomped on the resident’s bare feet. The resident declined prosecution, however, the friend was asked to leave.
Threats
Good Year Tire, 1973 Livernois, 6/13, 5:30 PM. A 62-year-old customer was not happy with the service he received, and was swearing at the storeowner. The storeowner told the customer to stop swearing and calm down or he would call the Police. The customer threatened to come back with a gun if he called the police. The customer then left the area.
CVS Pharmacy, 2045 W. S. Blvd, 6/13. The ex-husband of a former employee called the store and threatened a current employee. The suspect seems to blame the victim for an assortment of problems in his life, even though the victim has never met the suspect. She was advised on the procedure to obtain a Personal Protection Order.
Hillcrescent Drive, 3/23-6/13. A resident has been continually harassed by a couple, by email and phone calls, who want to buy her dog. The victim sells pups via a website, and the couple have tried to “bully” her into selling her breeding stock. When the victim refused the offer, the suspects began to threaten her and her business.
Frauds
A citizen reported that someone made an unauthorized purchase on her debit card account for $17.49 at a business on Stephenson Hwy in Troy.
A citizen on Red Fox Trail reported that someone used her personal information to fraudulently open a telephone account at an address in Detroit and run up charges of over $600.
Flagstar Bank, 2897 W. Maple, 1/25/05. A former business associate apparently forged the signature of a customer of the bank on documents removing that customer from a joint business account.
A resident on Hill Top received a letter advising that she won a Jamaican lottery. The letter included a check for $2800., (which turned out to be counterfeit) which the letter claimed was a loan to pay insurance fees. The letter also requested that the resident send $850. via Western Union to an address in Jamaica in order to claim the prize. The resident received several telephone calls attempting to persuade her to send the money. Officers called the numbers and spoke with someone who could not remember his own name (obviously a false name), and the bank, who confirmed that the check was a fake. The resident sent no money.
Roger Ct., 4/19. Someone used the resident’s credit account to make a purchase on eBay for $595 without his permission. His bank reversed the charge when he reported the fraud to them.
Gatwick Ct., 6/1, 1:58 PM. A resident ordered a computer from e-Bay. She was then contacted via e-mail by a subject who convinced her to wire $468 to a “company” in Romania that would facilitate the transaction. She has yet to receive the computer.
Vandalisms
1334 Maplelawn, 6/10-6/13. Someone, probably juveniles, threw salad dressing, eggs, and various other condiments on a vacant building over the weekend.
Abbey Street, 6/14, 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM. A thrown beer bottle shattered the back window of a 1993 Jeep Cherokee that was parked in the drive.
Michigan College of Beauty, 3279 Rochester, 6/14, 2:40 PM. 2 young boys (1 was 6, the other 7) spread ink on A 2005 Chevy Monte Carlo and put sticks and ink in the gas tank fill-tube. The fled, leaving their bikes behind. Their parents brought them back and they admitted to the causing the damage. The parents were advised to pay for the damage.
Beach Road, 6/10, 11:00 PM – 7:00 AM. Several mailboxes were knocked down overnight.
Tamarack Street, 6/12-6/13. A house was toilet-papered and had grass clippings spread on a vehicle. They suspect a fellow student / acquaintance of their son.
Alcohol and Drugs
John-R and 14 Mile Rd., 6/15, 9:05 PM. Officers located a suspect vehicle in a Retail Fraud at Marshall Fields – Oakland Mall and stopped it on John-R near 14 Mile. The driver, a 49-year-old male from Detroit, smelled of alcohol and failed field sobriety tests. He registered a blood alcohol level of .11% at the scene and .09% at the station. He was charged with Operating While Intoxicated - second offense. One passenger, a 47-year-old female from Detroit, had crack cocaine, a crack pipe, and a hypodermic needle in her purse, and 2 crack pipes in her pocket. She was charged with Possession of Cocaine and Possession of Narcotics Paraphernalia. The back seat passenger, a 22-year-old male from Westland, was the suspect in the original Retail Fraud at Marshall Fields. He had been arrested at Marshall Fields in May and banned from the store at that time. He was removed from the back seat, and Officers found a rock of Crack Cocaine where he had been sitting. He was charged with Possession of Cocaine and for Trespassing. The license plate on the vehicle was reported stolen.
N/B I-75 near Wattles, 6/15, 1:20 AM. A citizen reported that a 1998 Chevy Lumina spun out in the ditch. Officers located the car, and the 20-year-old female driver from Rochester Hills was arrested after failing field sobriety tests. She had a blood alcohol level of .14% at the police station.
S/B I-75 near 14 Mile, 6/15, 8:28 AM. Citizens called Police to report a possible drunk driver, cutting off other cars and striking the guardrail. Officers located the 1992 Buick
Skylark near 14 Mile Rd and stopped it. The driver was disoriented and failed field sobriety test, however, he did not register on a breath test. He was arrested for Reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. At the Police Station, he admitted to taking Methadone and Xanax earlier in the day. He complied with a blood test for the drugs, and the results are pending. He has 2 previous drunk driving convictions, which makes this time a felony.
Southbound I-75 near Long Lake, 6/17, 2:09 AM. A 24-year-old male from Centerline was arrested after failing field sobriety tests. He had a blood alcohol level of .21% and this was his second offense. His passenger had a blood alcohol level of .13%.
Southbound I-75 near Big Beaver, 617, 12:30 AM. A 33-year-old male from Glendale, AZ, was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated after driving around the police cars and Officers that were closing a lane of the freeway for a fatal accident investigation. The driver had a blood alcohol level of .10%. His 20-year-old female passenger from Hawaii was also arrested and charged with Open intoxicants in a motor vehicle and Minor in Possession of Alcohol, as she had a cup of beer in the car and a blood alcohol level of .09%.
Arrests
On 6/13, a 61-year-old male was arrested for driving a tractor-trailer while his license was revoked.
On 6/14, a 45-year-old Troy resident was arrested after he reportedly exposed himself to a woman on Dequindre. Officers located the subject, who was highly intoxicated, walking down the street. He was in violation of his parole because of his alcohol consumption, and was arrested for that violation. The victim declined prosecution for the exposure.
Logan’s Roadhouse, 86 W. 14 Mile, 6/16, 8:00 PM. A 37-year-old female from Troy was intoxicated and shouting obscenities at customers. As Officers and paramedics were attempting to tend to her, she threw a punch at an Officer and tried to kick at other Officers. She was restrained and transported to the hospital, where a it was determined that her blood alcohol level was .39%. She was admitted for detox, and issued a citation for disorderly conduct.
Other arrests:
Warrants: 5
Drove While License Suspended: 3
Suspicious Incidents
Eldridge Street, 6/14, 4:45 AM. A White male in his 50’s, described as tall, wearing a dark blue jacket and baseball cap and glasses, was seen peeping in the window as the female resident was getting out of the shower.
901 Wilshire, 6/10-6/13. An employee bought a 20 oz. Pepsi on Friday and drank half of it, then placed the rest in a refrigerator in a co-worker’s office. She went back on Monday and took a drink, only to find that it tasted like someone had put alcohol in it. She poured most of it out, and then brought the remainder to the Police. She suspects another co-worker.
Miscellaneous
Wass Elementary School, 2340 Willard, 616, 5:30 PM. A citizen found a brown and white Sheltie dog running at large in the school yard with no license or other identifying tags. The citizen and her kids went door-to-door trying to locate the owner. When they were unable to locate the owner, they brought the dog to the Police Station, but continued to try to find the owner. At 10:30 PM, they finally did find the owner, who was angry that the citizen interfered. The owner came to claim the dog and told the Officer that she lets the dog out for an hour every day and it “always comes home,” and the only reason it didn’t today was “because that lady grabbed it.” The officer explained the Leash Law to the owner, and also determined that the dog was not licensed. The owner was issued a citation for allowing her dog to run at large (no leash / not under control of the owner.)
Fatal Accident
Southbound I-75 exit ramp to Big Beaver Rd., 6/16, 9:40 PM. A silver Pontiac Grand Prix was exiting the freeway at an extremely high rate of speed, when it drove off the road and struck a light pole, tearing the car in half. A 59-year-old male and a 47-year-old female, both from Rochester Hills, were killed instantly. It is unknown at this time if alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Crime Prevention Tips
If you witness a crime:
-get involved
-call the police
-It is easier to catch a criminal if we are called right away, while they are still in the area.
If you are confronted with a robbery:
-Remain calm.
-Give the assailant what they want.
-Don’t put yourself in any physical harm.
-Try to remember as much about the perpetrator as possible
-Height
-Weight
-Build
-Clothing
-Facial features
-Anything unique about language usage or voice.
-Always call the Police as soon as it is safe to do so.
-Give as much information about the suspect and the property stolen that you can, including the direction they fled.
-If possible two or more employees should open stores.
-The use of a remote panic alarm is a good idea for retail establishments. Make sure your alarm is coded correctly to show the difference between a burglary alarm and a hold-up alarm. This makes a difference in the dispatch priority that an alarm will have.
-Security guards should be considered in certain applications.
The Graduation season brings celebrations, parties and alcohol consumption. Unfortunately we also see an increase in drunk driving.
Be responsible, if you drink, DO NOT DRIVE!
If you serve alcohol, make sure that your guests make it home safely.
Don’t serve alcohol to underaged children
We all must share the roads, don’t risk the lives of others or yourself. It is not a good idea to mix Alcohol with other activities like boating or swimming. If you drink, do it in moderation and don’t drive or put yourself and other at risk.
Troy has a Leash Law that requires dog owners to maintain control of their animals, either on a leash, or by some other means to insure control. The law also requires dog owners to clean up any feces that are deposited by their animal on any property that they do not own, including public property. Please be a responsible pet owner, and encourage others to be as well.
Things that can be done to combat auto theft and larcenies from autos include:
-Installing a car alarm.
-Using steering-wheel locking applications like the club etc.
-Applications of a hidden kill switch to the ignition system.
-Park in a well lit well traveled area if possible.
-Always maintain security of vehicle keys.
-Do not leave anything of value in your vehicle in plain view.
-Always lock your vehicle doors.
-Never leave a vehicle unattended while running.
There is a trend of things being stolen from vehicles in the parking lots of fitness centers and fun centers. While going to these places, be extra careful to remove all items of value and secure your vehicle.
Always secure your doors and windows.
-Garages and door walls are targets for thieves.
-Always ensure your garage door and pedestrian doors are secured.
-Do not leave garage door remote controls in cars not parked in the garage.
-Use 1 ½’’ dowel rod in the track of all sliding glass windows and doors to help prevent them from opening.
-It has been proven time and time again that the proper use and application of physical security will stop a would-be burglar.
-Always keep control of all your property.
-Your belongings are not safe while you are playing sports or at work unless you have them properly locked or are in possession of them.
-Thieves wait for the right time and will take property quickly.
-Unfortunately you cannot always trust co-workers or other business associates.
-Do not rely on others to watch your belongings. If they fail, you will be the victim, not them.
Fraud Prevention:
Remember nothing that is worth anything is free.
Never give any personal information out to an unknown source over the phone or Internet.
(If someone asks for personal information, ask to speak to his or her supervisor and inform them you will be calling the Police to make a fraud report.)
No reputable business will call you or email you for this information!!!
If you receive a phone call or email telling you that you have won something that you did not apply for, it is more than likely a fraud.
No legitimate organization will not ask for any money or a Credit Card number in order to claim a prize
Protect yourself against identity theft by shredding all documents and safe guarding your account numbers, social security numbers and credit card numbers.
Always maintain your credit cards and secure the credit card numbers.
If you suspect that you have been the victim of credit fraud, call your credit card company and have them run a query of your charges.
Never give your bank account numbers over the phone. Especially if unsolicited!
Identity theft continues to be the fastest growing crime in the world, and the city of Troy is no exception. We continually get reports of identity theft and fraud on a regular basis.
While it may not be totally avoidable, detecting the early signs of identity theft is one of the best ways to avoid extensive losses and damage to your credit history.
If your wallet/purse etc. gets stolen, cancel all stolen credit and ATM cards immediately.
Checking your credit history regularly is a great way to keep appraised on the status of your credit.
Here are three sources for checking your credit history:
(The titles are links to the webpages)
Equifax
1-800-525-6282
Experian
1-888-397-3742
TransUnion
1-800-680-7289
For more information visit:
US Dept. of Justice ID theft
DO NOT use illegal drugs
DO NOT drive and endanger the lives of everyone if you have consumed alcohol or drugs.
If you are under 21 years of age, IT IS ILLEGAL to consume or possess alcohol.
Assaults
Don’t let the temperatures outside cause you to lose your temper. If someone says or does something to you that makes you angry, stop and allow yourself to calm down before taking any action. All too often, people react to a driver cutting them off or a rude neighbor by sinking to their level and getting involved in a physical confrontation. A better course of action is to allow the other driver to merge and provide a safe cushion zone between the cars. If you feel yourself being antagonized, call the police and let us help to settle the matter in a calm, legal, and non-violent way.
Vandalism Prevention
The best way to protect yourself from this crime, or from being held financially responsible for the acts of your kids, is to know where your children are, what they are doing, and whom their friends are. Kids are very tech-savvy, and use the latest means to communicate. We have had numerous cases where middle and high-school aged kids have made clandestine plans using their home computer and instant-messaging programs (AIM, Yahoo Messenger, etc.) to communicate with their friends, unbeknownst to their parents (no phones ringing in the middle of the night.) They sneak out of the house and meet up to go and commit all sorts of crimes. This is not only illegal, but it is very dangerous.
Talk with your kids and encourage them to tell you about any problems with other kids.
Monitor your child’s instant messages.
Don’t put computers with Internet access in their bedrooms.
Lock the doors to the house and set alarms when you go to bed.
Make a habit of checking on the kids, no matter what age, in the middle of the night, just to make sure they are where they are supposed to be (especially when hosting sleepovers.) Let them know that you are checking.
Check your vehicles for new damage or signs of being involved in vandalism - Mud on tires or wheel-wells, baseball bats with gouges or glass in them, egg cartons, knives or other sharp objects that are out of place in a car, cans of spray paint or shaving cream (yes shaving cream and eggs damage paint.)
If you suspect that your kids have been out vandalizing property, or committing any other crimes, you can contact the Police Department Juvenile Unit, or Troy Youth Assistance for advice.
Juvenile Unit – 248-524-3451
Youth Assistance - 248-823-5095
