The Christmas season is known as the time for giving, but Chelsea police say they've discovered it's also the time for taking for some people.

Officers responded to a handful of shoplifting complaints in the 300 block and 1200 block of Main Street throughout the month, reports show.

Police Chief Ed Toth said during the most recent incident, a 28-year-old Grass Lake man was caught by store security trying to steal liquor as he walked out of a store in the 1200 block of Main Street on Dec. 16.

Just two days earlier, police arrested a 22-year-old Chelsea woman who they say stole a bottle of rum and cosmetic products from the same store.

Toth said they also arrested a 43-year-old Pinckney man for stealing liquor there on Dec. 10 and another suspected shoplifter on Dec. 8. 

In that incident, a person entered a store and stole two pairs of sunglasses on display. No description was available, and the case is listed as closed due to lack of investigative leads.

Toth did not identify which store was involved.

Officers also responded to the Monroe County Jail to pick-up a suspect who had misdemeanor warrants from Chelsea police for retail fraud earlier this month.

Warrants are pending authorization at the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office, Toth said.

Toth said he had no idea why the specific stores were targeted, particularly after so many unsuccessful attempts.

“It’s a little strange that they’ve been struck that many times in the past few weeks,” Toth said. “They have a good system in place because they are catching these people. But hopefully word is getting out that we’re making arrests and they’ll knock it off.”

Toth also said officers are investigating a home invasion that occurred in the 300 block of West Summit Street. Officers responded there on Dec. 14 after the homeowner reported someone was in the home. There were signs of forced entry, and it appeared items inside the home were disturbed, but nothing was reported stolen, Toth said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the department at 734-475-9122.

Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.