Police: Man arrested after attempting to steal $2,000 worth of holiday gifts from Briarwood Mall
Briarwood Mall
File photo
Editor's note: This story has been updated with information about the suspect's arraignment and his name.
A 40-year-old Detroit man had his holiday shopping cut short Monday when he was arrested and accused of piling $2,000 worth of women's clothing and perfume into two large bags and trying to walk out of Macy's at Briarwood Mall without paying.
Laurence Martin Jordan was arraigned on a first-degree retail fraud charge Tuesday in the matter and released from jail after posting 10 percent of a $1,000 bond, according to court records.
Loss prevention officers at the department store had been eyeing the man while he browsed the racks around 7 p.m., said Lt. Renee Bush of the Ann Arbor Police Department.
"He placed clothing inside the bags, along with the perfume, and decided to leave without paying," she said, adding that police think the man was shoplifting holiday gifts.
The loss prevention officers apprehend the man outside the store.
"There was a little bit of a scuffle," Bush said. "He was not happy to be arrested."
The man was taken back into the store while Ann Arbor police were dispatched. He was arrested and taken to the Washtenaw County Jail, Bush said. He will likely be charged with first-degree retail fraud.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Goodphotographer
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 3:59 a.m.
Wondering if his business card reads..." Shoplifting - Have 100 dollars will travel".
RJA
Fri, Nov 23, 2012 : 2:32 p.m.
Released on bond?? This is crazy!
PineyWoodsGuy
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 4:23 a.m.
Our Highly-Paid (North of $100K) Wimp Prosecutors and Highly-Paid (Very Much North of $100K) Wimp Judges will let this dude off with "Supervised Probation." And we Wimp Littlehead Taxpayers willing accept this Wimp "Justice." I agree with Braxfield. "Hang a thief when he's young, and he'll no steal when he's auld." — Robert MacQueen, Lord Braxfield, Lord Justice of Scotland, 1776-1799
FormerMichRes
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 3:45 a.m.
Looks like Mr. Jordan has been up to this activity for a long time. This guy appears to be a habitual criminal and should have been in jail instead of Briarwood. Blame it on the revolving door justice system in southeast MI. Or better yet, blame it on the voters who continue to vote for "weak on crime" types for political office in southeast MI. What's worse, after all the complaining ... YOU re-elect them. YOU really only have yourselves to blame. Amazing.
Elouise
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 3:24 a.m.
Oh, am I the only one who LOVES being arrested? Hmm... So knows, he might have been trying out a new look...
Cathy
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 10:03 p.m.
Laurence Martin Jordan, MDOC #332645, presently on probation in Wayne County. His record on OTIS includes: 4/29/1998 - Controlled Substance Narcotics/Cocaine <25 grams 2/25/2006 - Receiving/Concealing Stolen Property - Motor Vehicle 9/11/2007 - Retail Fraud - 1st Degree 5/27/2009 - Retail Fraud - 1st Degree 8/23/2009 - Retail Fraud - 1st Degree 4/22/2011 - Retail Fraud - 1st Degree Thanks for putting this career criminal on probation, Wayne County. Maybe he'll get some real prison time from Washtenaw.
Cathy
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 3:30 p.m.
Have fun! http://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2.html
Reason
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 1:03 p.m.
Wow--good sleuthing Cathy.
Jay Thomas
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 2:20 a.m.
Look's to me like he's just getting started in a life of crime and these sentences are simply not a deterrent.
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.
Looks like they have emptied out Detroit and Failane is on to them. Next stop? Briarweed. I suppose Jackson is next once we catch on......which will probably be never.
Ann English
Fri, Nov 23, 2012 : 12:27 a.m.
So he's a repeat offender. I wonder if he's working his way to Jackson, a high security prison?
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 9:54 p.m.
Why is that, please explain?
Jay Thomas
Thu, Nov 22, 2012 : 2:19 a.m.
Politically incorrect. -1 :)
zip the cat
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.
So he put up a scuffel He was not happy to be arrested!! A face full of pepper spray would of ended that threat
Lovaduck
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 5:40 p.m.
Maybe it was Santa who has left the North Pole and Mrs Santa for Detroit, and is stocking up Christmas gifts for his mistress! No wonder he was "not happy to be arrested", but then again, who is?
Brad
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.
Or maybe an "undocumented elf"?
Fat Bill
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 4:50 p.m.
In certain states, where burglary is defined as entering a premise with the intent to commit a crime, repeat shoplifters were being charged with burglary, in an attempt to make a felony stick and get these drains on the economy a prison stint. Not sure if that would work in Michigan, at least Retail Fraud 1st is a 5-year felony.
SonnyDog09
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 4:25 p.m.
I hope to see the surveillance video of this incident soon on "World's Dumbest..." with the appropriate commentary from folks that never really were celebrities.
Billy
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 3:02 p.m.
"Loss prevention officers at the department store had been eyeing the man while he browsed the racks " That Sir.....means you were NOT slick. You are a poor shoplifter and should consider a change of profession.
nickcarraweigh
Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 2:48 p.m.
Wake up, guys! When you want to avoid suspicion while riffling through women's clothing, be sure to seek a sales associates' assistance with your size requirements first. It will allay their fears.