Suspect arrested in rash of thefts from cars
Charges are pending against a Madison Heights man suspected of stealing items from at least seven unlocked vehicles in Royal Oak.
The suspect, 24, was arrested around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday while city police were assisting a Troy police special investigation with a man suspected of stealing items from vehicles in the 1000 block of Cherokee Avenue in Royal Oak.
Police said the man was found near 11 Mile Road and Stephenson Highway. The man tried to run away after police told him to stop, but was quickly caught.
Police got a warrant to search the man’s house and recovered items stolen from seven unlocked vehicles in Royal Oak as far back as June 10, when a wallet containing credits, ID and a ring were taken from a car in the 2200 block of Farnum Avenue.
Five days later police believe the man stole a duffle bag and soccer shoes from a vehicle in the 100 block of North Kenwood.
When the suspect was arrested Wednesday, police said that night he stole credit cards, shoes, credit cards, and even some marijuana from cars in the 2000 block of Kenwood Court, the 900 block of East Third Street, the 1100 block of North Wilson, and a second vehicle in the 1000 block of Cherokee.
The man is also a suspect in thefts from vehicles in Madison Heights.
“He was going into unlocked cars parked in the owners’ driveways and on the streets,” said Royal Oak police Sgt. Timothy Brown.
Oakland County prosecutors were expected to issue charges against the man for his arraignment on Friday or next Monday.
Man returns home to find intruder who broke in
A homeowner, 60, returned to his house about 4:20 a.m. Wednesday to find another man standing in his hallway.
The intruder broke into the garage and got into the house in the 1100 block of 13 Mile Road by forcing open a side door.
Police said the owner had been out for less than an hour and came back and noticed his side door was open and damaged.
The intruder ran out of the house and down the street after the owner entered the house.
Police described the man as white, about 30 years old, with crew cut hair, and wearing a green T-shirt and blue jeans.
The house is on 13 Mile near Campbell Road.
$10K worth of equipment stolen from road contractor truck
Work tools worth a total of about $10,000 were taken from the rear of a stake truck parked near a road construction site at West 11 Mile Road and Sherman Drive.
The theft was reported Wednesday afternoon.
Police said the truck and stolen tools belong to a road contractor who left the vehicle parked there over night.
Taken were two concrete saws, a hammer drill and large powered tamper used for leveling and packing materials such as dirt, clay, sand, and gravel.
Pricey items stolen when nephew hosts party
Someone at a party in the 1200 block of West Farnum stole expensive electronics and fashion accessories.
The thefts were reported June 18 by the woman who lives there with her nephew, who hosted a party.
Stolen were a $650 Louis Vuitton belt, $350 Dior sunglasses, a $600 X-Box gaming console, and a $1,000 iPhone.
– Mike McConnell, Tribune staff writer