Friday, July 15, 2005

 

Residential and Business Crime Alert for July 15, 2005

Residential and Business Crime Alert
July 15, 2005

Recent Incidents

Retail Frauds

At the Oakland Mall Marshall Fields at 500 W 14 Mile loss prevention officers observed a 51-year-old female from Detroit purchase $207.76 worth of items. She handed the bag containing the items to her 16-year-old granddaughter, but retained the receipt. She picked up three identical items and presented them with the receipt from the original purchase to a cashier for a refund. She obtained the refund, but when she observed the LPO approaching, she dumped the cash and left the store. The 16 year old and her younger sister, who was also present, were turned over to their father who responded to the scene to pick them up. Charges pending.
Home Invasions

On Century drive two apartments had their doors pried open and jewelry and a small amount of cash and a duffle bag containing miscellaneous items were stolen.
Automobile Break-Ins

At the Wagon Wheel at 2950 Rochester, A passenger side window was broken out of a ’89 Cadillac and a briefcase containing a laptop computer was stolen from the front seat.

At the Courtyard Marriot Hotel at 1525 E. Maple, the passenger side front window was broken out of ’04 GMC Yukon and the in-dash stereo was stolen.

On Creekside a 2003 Saturn and a 1997 Toyota were left unlocked and parked in the driveway. They were entered and rummaged through. A spare key was found to be missing from the Toyota and several CD’s were stolen from the Saturn.

On Fairways an unlocked ’01 Ford van parked in the driveway was entered and a small billfold containing miscellaneous membership cards were stolen.

On Doral a 2005 GMC Envoy was entered and a set of golf clubs were stolen. The complainant thought vehicle was locked, but there were no signs of forced entry.

On Alisop Place the rear driver’s side window was broken out of a ’03 Honda Civic and the interior was rummaged through. Nothing appeared to be missing.

At Bally’s Fitness Center at 201 W. Big Beaver, a purse that was left on the front passenger seat of an unlocked ’02 Chevy Blazer that was parked in the parking deck was stolen. As well, another complainant parked in the parking deck wrapped her purse in a sweater and tucked it under the back seat of her ’98 Chevy Blazer. When she returned, she discovered her purse missing. There were pry marks on the driver’s side door. Her credit cards had been used to make several unauthorized purchases at locations in Detroit and Harper Woods.

At Precision Plumbing at 360 E. Maple, a 1993 Ford Ranger had the driver’s side door window broken out and had a grinder stolen. A storage trailer in an adjacent lot was also broken into and some ladders and a light stand were stolen.

At Great Lakes Commercial at1242 Rankin a utility trailer was stolen from the lot. The rear door of a Ford van was pried open and miscellaneous tools were stolen.

At the Somerset Pontiac Dealership at 1850 W. Maple the center wheel caps were stolen from a ’03 GMC Envoy. Four lug nuts were removed and 4 cinder blocks were located near the vehicle indicating the suspects appeared intent on stealing the wheels. A hole was found cut in the fence of the rear storage yard where the vehicle was parked.

Vandalisms

On Adams near Lanergan a complaint reported hearing what sounded like rocks striking the driver’s side of his ’05 Chevy Silverado. He saw two subjects running from the area. There were several scratches visible on the driver’s side of the vehicle.

On Berwyck a 2001 Ford Escape parked in the driveway and the garage door and address of residence were spray painted with orange and yellow paint while the resident was out of town; some vulgarities were on the car and garage door.

On Heritage bright orange paint was sprayed on the vinyl siding on the front of a home.

On Alisop Place glass was broken out of a couple of second floor foyer doors in two buildings.

At Guido’s at 2879 W. Maple, Someone spray painted vulgarities on the back of building.

On Minnesota someone threw a rock at a ’98 Dodge Caravan that was parked in the driveway causing a large dent in the rear hatch.

On Crescent Way several vehicles that were parked on the street were egged.

On Crooks and South Blvd a 31-year-old male complainant from Warren stated he was northbound on Crooks when he noticed a black ’99 Jeep Cherokee tailgating him. He stated the Jeep pulled up next to him at the red light and the male driver exited and punched the rear passenger side window out of his ’92 Jeep Cherokee. The suspect proceeded to challenge the complainant to exit so he could fight him. The complainant ignored the challenge and the suspect re-entered his vehicle and drove away. The suspect was identified as a 36-year-old male from St. Clair Shores. Investigation continues.

At the Jaguar Dealership at 1815 Maplelawn two driver’s side tires were punctured on a ’05 Ford that was parked in the lot.

Stolen Vehicles

Detroit Police recovered a ’99 Hyundai Sonota that was stolen from a residence in Troy on 7/9/05. The vehicle was parked in the driveway and the complainant reported he left the keys on the porch.
Detroit Officers arrested the 27-year-old male from Detroit who was driving the vehicle. The keys were found in the vehicle.

On Bristol a 28-year-old female complainant from Troy stated she met a male at the bar who was in the company of her brother. She discovered the male had just been released from some sort of incarceration. When the bar closed, she gave the male a ride to her home where her roommates were hosting a party. She allowed the male to sleep on her couch. In the morning she discovered the male, some cash from her wallet, her keys, and her ’94 Acura Legend missing. She said there was over $3000.00 in cash in the car, as well as 100 CD’s, and other miscellaneous items. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department contacted The Troy Police Department on 7/10/05 to report they had recovered the car at a Ram’s Horn in Rochester Hills, and taken the original suspect along with two other males who were in his company into custody.

At K-Mart at 100 W. Maple, an employee stated her ’99 Saturn was missing from the lot. She stated she left two purses in the trunk, one with a spare set of keys to the vehicle. She also stated she left the vehicle keys under the seat and said one of the car doors do not lock. Upon further questioning, she indicated a friend might have taken the car without her permission. She said she only knew this “friend” by his first name. She said she had dropped him off nearby at an unknown residence before coming to work.

Frauds

At JC Penny 700 E 14 Mile a 20-year-old female from Detroit was shopping with three other females. She obtained a temporary credit card using a legitimate credit card account number then attempted to purchase a $500.00 gift card. She stated the cardholder was her father. Suspicious of the large purchase on the temporary card, the cashier called Loss prevention personnel who followed-up with the JC Penny Credit Department. That follow-up resulted in discovery that the limit on the card had recently been increased, and the billing address changed. Two other large purchases were made against the card over the past couple of days. When approached by Loss prevention the other three subjects quickly exited the store. The suspect claimed one of the subjects who left owed her money, and offered her the use of her uncle’s credit card to pay back the debt. Contact was made with the legitimate cardholder and it revealed he was not the subject in questions father nor was he the uncle of any of the other three. He had not given anyone permission to use his account. The suspect was arrested.

At the Home Depot an associate received a $4778.30 credit card order via phone for miscellaneous supplies. The caller did not provide a name, but provided a contact name for the account and the name of the person who would be making the pick up. Suspicious of fraud, the associate reported the order to Loss Prevention who investigated the situation and determined the credit card number involved had been used fraudulently at other Home Depot locations. On 7/8/2005 two males came to the store and one identified himself as the person who was supposed to pick-up the merchandise and signed the charge slip in that name. The bank that holds the credit card reported someone contacted them in June changing the address and phone number on the account from Arkansas to Belleville, MI. (The original/legitimate owner is from Arkansas.) The 38-year-old male from Oak Park who signed for the sale was arrested for Credit Fraud. His 33-year-old male associate from New Boston, MI was arrested on outstanding Friend of Court
Warrants.

A complainant discovered at least 7 unauthorized withdrawals for approximately $3700.00 from a checking account by phone-in checks and electronic debits using her checking account number.
A complainant received notice from a collection agency regarding an unpaid phone bill from 2000 for $472.19. The account was opened without the complainant’s permission using her name and social security number. It was billed to an address in Sterling Heights with which she is not familiar.
Larcenies

 On Virginia, a Wards Hydro lawn tractor was stolen from in front of the garage.

On Lovington, a complainant stated she allowed her “friend of a few days” and his friend to stay at her apartment beginning 7/5/2005. When she returned to her apartment one evening, she found the boarders gone. She discovered that her TV, DVD, and microwave were missing. The suspect left a note explaining that he is a hustler and he conveyed his appreciation for everything, wishing her good luck, and asking her not to be mad and that he would her call soon.

On Dickens a Set of golf clubs were stolen from an open garage.

At the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 760 W. Wattles, a complainant reported two cell phones and her debit card were stolen from her purse that was in an unlocked storage room during a wedding ceremony. Before terminating the phone account she called her phone. The male who answered advised her that he purchased the phone for $50.00 on the street. She discovered a series of small charges on her debit card at several different locations and most were for $1.00, totaling $24.00

Suspicious Persons/incidents

At Baker School at 1291 Torpey, a 14-year-old male from Troy and his 14-year-old cousin from Connecticut were found on the roof of the school. No damage or entry was found. They were transported to the Troy youth’s house and Turned over to his parents.

On Rochester South of Wattles, a complainant turned in a wallet that he stated was either thrown from a black Mazda that was driving in front of him, or kicked up by the Mazda as it drove over it. Contact with owner resulted in discovery that most of the contents were missing. He stated he got gas at the Marathon Station on Rochester between Wattles and Big Beaver. He stated he either left the wallet in his vehicle while he used the pumped, or he left it on top of his vehicle.

On Carter Drive, a complainant reported his son’s ’99 Pontiac Montana has been parked in the driveway for about a month. He opened the passenger side sliding doors to allow for some air circulation, then left to run some errands. Shortly after arriving home, he heard his dogs barking, looked outside, and discovered the van engulfed in flames. Investigation continues.

At the Belle Tire at 1650 W. maple a complainant observed a male drive up in a dark ’03 Ford Explorer registered out of Southfield. The Male entered the tire pen where old tires are stored for disposal. When challenged, the male stated he needed a new tire for his car. The Subject left the area and nothing was found to be missing.

At Marshals at 2029 W. Maple, a 31-year-old female shopping with her child noticed a male she thought was following her from Marshall’s to Wal-Mart. She obtained an escort to her vehicle from a sales clerk from Wal-Mart, who obtained the plate from the ’97 Geo Prizm the subject was driving. It registers to a 40-year-old male from Troy
Crime Prevention Tips

Be responsible, DO NOT DRINK and DRIVE! It is not worth the risk to the lives of others or yourself. Alcohol is not a good idea to mix with other activities like boating or swimming. Do not use any illegal drugs and report anyone you know who is. If your friends are possessing illegal drugs the responsible thing to do is call the Police Department. Drugs kill, wreck families and ruin lives.

If you have any information on illegal drug activity call our tip line at 248-524-0777.

Be cautious of who you allow into your home. If you invite guests that you really do not know into your home you are inviting trouble. Always lock your doors and windows and leave adequate lights on. Always secure your garage doors even in the daytime hours. Many home invasions and larcenies occur during the daytime. Call the Troy Police Crime Prevention Section to schedule a free security survey. A crime prevention officer will come out to your home or business and asses your current security measures and make any recommendations on actions you could take to better increase your security. Call Officer Harden at 248-524-3452.

Do not leave anything of value in your vehicle in plain view. Always lock your vehicle doors. Never leave the keys to your automobile unattended. If at all possible park your vehicle in your garage. If this is not possible park your vehicle in a well-lit area and lock the 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.
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


If you see anything that you feel is suspicious call the Police. Examples of suspicious activity could be:
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

# posted by Robert Kowalski @ 4:00 PM


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