Parolee wearing electronic tether robs Mr. Pizza in Ypsilanti Township, police say
A parolee still wearing a GPS tether was arrested late Wednesday after police say he robbed an Ypsilanti Township pizzeria at gunpoint and fled into a heavily wooded area.
Washtenaw County Sheriff's Sgt. David Archer said a man entered the Mr. Pizza in the 800 block of Ecorse Road at 11:05 p.m. His face was partially concealed, and he ordered the clerk to empty the cash register at gunpoint, Archer said.
Deputy John Cratsenburg was several blocks from Mr. Pizza when the call came in. He noticed a man riding a bicycle matching the description of the robber, a sheriff's summary said. When the man saw Cratsenburg, he got off the bike and ran.
Sgt. Dave Egeler spotted the man in the area and gave chase into the wooded area, where he and other officers were able to take the man into custody, reports said.
Police recovered the handgun and the cash taken in the robbery, Archer said.
The 43-year-old Washtenaw County resident is scheduled to be arraigned Friday on charges of armed robbery and using a firearm to commit a felony.
Police said he is currently on parole and was wearing an electronic tether, but the details of his past conviction were not immediately available.
Comments
Drew
Sun, Oct 24, 2010 : 4:43 p.m.
Okay I will start off by saying that I have read everyone's comments/opinions, and to each his own, but this was my brother in real life and I was devastated when I learned that this happened.. I was only a few years old when he was first convicted in 1986, so I didn't really know him, but what I do know is that when you convict someone of a crime and just forget about them(no rehabilitation) for 23 years, what do you expect?? And on top of all of this, he is released in a time where we (MI) are at like 20% unemployment, which means a lot more people loosing EVERYTHING, which turns into an increased crime rate.. Now, he was incarcerated from 1986-2010, so he had no idea what he would do when ever he would be released (the whole world is different), but I think he made a horrible mistake by going this route, but it really doesn't matter anymore.. I just once again want to express that I understand everyone's comments/opinions, but he was released into a world where he really had no chance!! Thank you for reading this
Ricebrnr
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 9:20 a.m.
@ Dave66 You can't close something that does not exist. The "Gun show loophole" is anti gun rhetoric referencing PRIVATE sales. Would you want legislation keeping you from selling your car privately? Cars kill many more people than guns every day. How do you know that you are not selling your car to a criminal, a drunk or a reckless driver. Is it your responsibility to do a full background check on the buyer before you sell it? Are YOU responsible for the actions of the person after they buy your car? Are you responsible for criminal acts by scofflaws? Should your life as a law abiding citizen be ruled by the actions of others? How about garage sales? Should we start regulating all of that as well. I can find knives and tools at just about every one. How about toys at garage sales. Hope you don't sell them to a child molestor, so we should regulate that too right?
Dave66
Sat, Sep 25, 2010 : 5:11 p.m.
@Ricebrnr: No loophole? Excellent! Then I'm sure you wouldn't object to closing it.
Mark
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 12:08 p.m.
As the saying goes, "You can't fix stupid."
Ricebrnr
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 9:22 a.m.
@Dave66, Yes as Grandpabob stated there is no "gun show loophole". That's a misleading term generated by the anti gun lobby just as "assault weapon" is. Both are terms meaning nothing just as Mayor's Against Illegal Guns actually means ALL GUNS. I just purchased a gun at a show laast w/e. Guess what, I had to go through all the things a law abiding person has to in order to get one EVEN AT THE GUN SHOW. Criminals won't and don't bother with such things. Think the tethered person went to the Sheriff's or PD to get a permit? I think not. Please don't use MAIG as your reference in the future. Many of the mayors on there didn't know they were "members", others have since refuted their membership and a great many of them happen to be criminals who aren't legally able to possess guns anyway. Thank goodness they get tax payer supplied armed bodyguards. Google it, you'll find plenty of "mainstream" media confriming the above. stopillegalmayors.com/
sandy schopbach
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 9:07 a.m.
Well, with an electronic tether, at least the police know where he was. Not a very smart parolee, it sounds like.
GRANDPABOB
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 8:41 a.m.
@somewhat concerned, If he had paid for his previous crime completely he wouldn't have been wear the ankle device. It was put on as part of his penalty I would assume.
GRANDPABOB
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 8:37 a.m.
Dave66, even at a Gun show at least in Michigan you are required to have a PISTOL PURCHASE PERMIT.And as far as I know they do a background check to get one of those.If you don't have one they take all your information and some of your money until you do have the permit.So I don't see the loophole they talk about!
Steve Pepple
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
A comment that violated our conversation guidelines has been removed.
Dave66
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 7:46 a.m.
@Somewhat Concerned: Illustrating once and again the need for a "sarcasm" emoticon.
Steve Pepple
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 7:42 a.m.
Several comments containing speculation about the suspect's prior criminal record have been removed.
Somewhat Concerned
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 7:36 a.m.
Shouldn't we feel sorry for a man who is stigmatized by a criminal record for which he has paid his debt to society but still is harassed by having to wear a GPS device? If unforgiving right-wing Bushites hadn't forced him to wear it, he wouldn't be in this predicament. Until we have a just society, we will have victims like this poor, scarred for life soul.
Dave66
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 7:10 a.m.
Even if he wasn't caught that day, a quick cross-reference of the datestamps in the GPS database to the crime scene would immediately place him there. What did he think the device attached to his ankle was for, anyway? And I'm not sure what's so "mythical" about the gun show loophole. Unless you object to calling it a loophole, I guess. If we call it the gun show exception, would that make it less mythical? For those who don't know, the "Gun Show Loophole" allows convicted felons and other prohibited purchasers to evade background checks. They can buy firearms from private sellers with no accountability or oversight. A national poll conducted by Mayors Against Illegal Guns that shows that 87% of Americans want the loophole closed.
discgolfgeek
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 6:41 a.m.
He is either dumb or wants to go back to prison.
Cash
Fri, Sep 24, 2010 : 4:52 a.m.
Sounds like a lot of stereotyping here. If we assume this is what parolees do, then let's assume that U of M administrators order equipment and sell it for their own personal benefit. There are parolees who get out of prison and never go back and want nothing from you or anyone else.....except a chance to try to earn a living. And there are U of M administrators who don't steal.
ezbngreen
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 11:47 p.m.
Sometimes the world is a better off place when these likes no longer exist... What useful purpose does this man offer to society other than wasting valuable air and fresh drinking water.
Joe Hood
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 9:55 p.m.
I'm assuming a paroled felon. Riding a bicycle, probably didn't have any money when he got out. Running abound with a GPS tether, I'm thinking he didn't graduate high school. He's able to pick up a pistol pretty quickly, so he likely has friends who live in the same social-economic lifestyle. The man obviously is not afraid of any law in this world. I see religion as his only recourse.
DagnyJ
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 9:49 p.m.
What's the rule about naming suspects in a news story? Is there a law that says you can't name the guy before arraignment, or is it just something that AA.com does?
Buzz
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 8:32 p.m.
Another one of "Jennie's Kids"
dading dont delete me bro
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 7:59 p.m.
not the sharpest crayon in the box is he...?
breadman
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 7:22 p.m.
The least he could do, is buy a PIZZA with the money he took from the store!!! Or was the wait 30 minutes, tooo long.
clara
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 3:51 p.m.
I wonder if he is another fine MPRI graduate? I guess the R in MPRI really does mean reentry. Reenter prison?
djm12652
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 3:24 p.m.
@ricebrnr...what I was trying to get at, is the man arrested is a parolee and I'm sure well aware of the law regarding convicted felons and the possesion of firearms...just like they [he and other parolees] are not supposed to socialize...unfortunately the P.O's of these guys may not always inform them that there should be no crimes committed...minor oversight, right? Hope everyone got it so I can take my tongue out of my cheek...looks like I got a walnut in my mouth...LOL
Jamie Weeder
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 3:17 p.m.
Couldn't resist tappin' the artery of that hot Mr. Pizza cash flow...
Ricebrnr
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 1:50 p.m.
Nah if that was the case, he could've skipped the robbery and just went to the station with the gun...
djm12652
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 1:49 p.m.
@Ricebrnr, no one has been convicted here of any crime regarding a gun...so could because the Police recovered a gun and some money taken in the robbery, there's no need to assume anyone [allegedly] involved in the robbery actually had the gun in their possession. @Stefanie...Seriously? My comment violated YOUR guidlines? Did I offend someone's sensitivities? I did not name anyone specific, and even referred to the person in the article as the alleged perp...please enlighten someone as ignorant as me [after all, I'm not a journalist] as to exactly what words were a no no...so I not be bad no more...your conversation guidelines are not conversational at all...conversations involve more than 1 person
amazonwarrior
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 1:47 p.m.
Commits a felony while on parole...sounds to me like the guy WANTS to go back to prison.
Ricebrnr
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 1:35 p.m.
What wait where did he get that gun? Doesn't he know that criminals aren't allowed to have any? Must've used the mythical gun show loophole...
BobbyTarsus
Thu, Sep 23, 2010 : 1:14 p.m.
Some people never learn