Police say man broke into at least 20 vehicles, including ones parked in carpool lot off US-23
Police are seeking charges against a 20-year-old Webster Township man accused of breaking into at least 20 vehicles in recent weeks, including 17 in a park-and-ride lot at US-23 and North Territorial Road in Northfield Township.
The suspect was identified after his pickup truck broke down, and a Washtenaw County sheriff's deputy discovered stolen loot in the back, Northfield Township police Lt. Tim Greene said.
The majority of the car break-ins occurred Nov. 5. A total of 17 vehicles in the carpool lot at US-23 and North Territorial Road were burglarized between 6-11 a.m. Nov. 5.
Greene said windows were broken and GPS units, sunglasses, stereos and other items were taken.
That same day, the man's pickup broke down on Joy Road, and a sheriff's deputy stopped to assist. The man wasn't there but soon returned to the pickup and claimed the stereos and other items were his, Greene said.
At the time, the break-ins hadn't been reported, so the deputy identified the man and allowed him to leave, Greene said. After receiving reports of the car break-ins, police went to the man's home and arrested him, Greene said.
The man confessed, and the stolen property was recovered, Greene said. His permanent address is in Webster Township with his parents, but he had recently been staying in Whitmore Lake, police said.
The man also has been tied to two other car break-ins the same day in the Harbor Cove complex and another in a different subdivision, Greene said. In one of those cases, a GPS unit was taken.
Greene said police are attempting to determine whether the man could be involved in other recent cases. Police are seeking 20 charges of felony larceny from an auto against him.
Anyone with information on the incidents is asked to call Northfield Township police at 734-449-8900.
Comments
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 1:46 p.m.
@MMP: So you saw him then? You can identify him?
MMP
Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 8:30 a.m.
My car was one of the ones vandalized by this guy. All he did was smash in my window, causing damage to the interior of the vehicle as well. He stole nothing. He just seemed to have run through the lot, arbitrarily bashing in windows. What a completely random, senseless crime. I am so glad they caught him. It cost me money, time, and a lot of hassle.
krc
Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 6:58 a.m.
GPS units taken? Were these the portable ones????? People! Take them with you, for heaven's sake! That's what 'portable' means! Really.
stevek
Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 5:57 a.m.
@Andrew MacKie-Mason---alright we get it, we understand. Innocent until proven guilty. If (when) these criminals are proven guilty, instead of prison, maybe they can come live with you.
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 11:03 p.m.
@Chris: That involves an even larger logical leap than most people here are making. All you know is that this man has been accused of theft, and you're already labeling him as a drug addict. While I agree with you that treatment should be pursued over punishment, you shouldn't make so many baseless assumptions about people with so little information.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 10:35 p.m.
They caught him, Very Good. However this man needs help. My 28 YO brother didn't get caught and heroin put him 6 feet under. I watched him go from a talented electrician to a junkie in a short time. Crimes like this are committed by drug addicts in most cases. Putting him away for 20 years is only going to cost taxpayer's money. Its time there sould be mandatory in house drug treatment. Not in the jail. Places could be set up, fenced in and loaded with counselors and professionals who can get people like this the proper help. This would cost less then locking up every drug offender and paying Correction Officers to watch them rot for years. Only to come out and re-offend. If a drug addict is not given the proper counseling he will relapse even after and extended period of abstenince. It's time to fence these people in and intervene whether they like it ot not and give them treatment. Until a qualified person says they are rehabiliated keep them there. I find this sad because this looks like someone with a drug problem to me.
AlphaAlpha
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 10:34 p.m.
"People in this town really do have trouble with the concept of innocent until proven guilty, don't they?" Perhaps. There seems to be a much greater trust in the States that both the news media and the 'authorities' speak the fair, honest truth, than there is in much of the world. Regrettably, it appears the cost of this trust is rising with time. Again. Same story; different time and place...
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 10:33 p.m.
And also: what were the circumstances of the confession? Was it completely voluntary? Absent a thorough fact finding hearing (ala a trial) or at least a comment from the accused, there simply isn't enough information in the story to reasonably conclude that he's definitely guilty of everything alleged.
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 10:26 p.m.
@kulse: "Innocent until guilty is an important concept no doubt. However, I believe I read the word "confessed". Sounds pretty far leaning to the "guilty" side." I'm pretty sure you actually read the words "The man confessed...[Lt.] Greene said." What, precisely did he confess to? (Breaking into the cars? Stealing the electronics? Possessing stolen electronics?) By the way, AnnArbor.com: stolen "loot"?
kulse012
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 10:09 p.m.
Innocent until guilty is an important concept no doubt. However, I believe I read the word "confessed". Sounds pretty far leaning to the "guilty" side.
Soothslayer
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 10:05 p.m.
So if the truck didn't break down he wouldn't have gotten caught. We call that CAR-MA XD
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 10:02 p.m.
People in this town really do have trouble with the concept of innocent until proven guilty, don't they? (RJA, Macabre, jmac, Andrew Kerr, loves_fall, Ann English).
AlphaAlpha
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 9:25 p.m.
"And I assume that AnnArbor.com will see if the man has a comment once his name is released?" Mr. MacKie-Mason has a good point. It would be fair, and likely illuminating, to seek comment from the accused. We really do need both sides to each story...
Ann English
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 9:15 p.m.
I can't picture this park-and-ride lot on US-23 and North Territorial Road, but I do remember the rest area south of it. Crime has taken place there, too, of a different kind. When charges are brought against this criminal, I hope he doesn't turn out to be a neighbor. He reminds me of a burglar in our neighborhood who committed her break-ins last May and June.
smokeblwr
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 7:45 p.m.
Thanks for the info Jeff Renner. Even given that expert opinion I am disappoint.
loves_fall
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 5:30 p.m.
I'm glad they caught him. There was a guy a few years ago who cut out all the catalytic converters of people parked at the park-and-ride on 96 around South Lyon, and I don't think the police there were so lucky.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 4:55 p.m.
It would be interesting to offer this guy a reduced sentence (in Michigan, this would mean reducing it from three days to two) to find out what he was going to do with all those units. Seems we could shut down a lot of crime opportunity by arresting anyone who would buy a bunch of multi-branded GPS units and stereos from a stranger off the street.
Jeff Renner
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 4:16 p.m.
@ smokeblwr - I'm a former 7th grade English teacher (at Tappan), not a 9th grade one, and I complain about bad writing occasionally here, but this one seems OK to me. It's a little awkward, perhaps. You could substitute "many" for "ones" and make it read a little better.
smokeblwr
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:49 p.m.
AA.com - This is a strangely worded headline: "...including ONES parked in carpool lot". Is that proper grammar? I'm sure my 9th grade English teacher would give me a big red X on that. Amiright? I mean, who's with me here?
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:46 p.m.
@Andrew Kerr: Assuming they caught the right guy, of course. And thanks for the info about GPS receivers. I assumed they had to send some data to the satellites.
stevek
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:43 p.m.
Pickup truck....Northfield Township..... I wonder if he is missing some chickens?
Andrew
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:38 p.m.
@Andrew MacKie-Mason: No, GPS units are just about impossible to track, unless the users have registered them online (with tomtom @home, etc), and even that is just to get map updates, not to track the device. GPS is a one-way transmission, the unit is never identified. I'm really glad to hear that they caught this guy. We drove by the park and ride right after it had happened and there were pile after pile of glass in each parking spot. He really ruined some people's day, and worse made me really question the safety of using a park and ride. I'll think twice before leaving my car there from now on, which is really unfortunate.
jmac
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:29 p.m.
He was caught because his truck broke down? And he spent his time stealing small stuff out of cars and trucks that were probably in a lot better shape than his vehicle? Guess he wasn't smart enough to steal a whole (better) car or truck and avoid the whole break-down, get caught scenario.
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:25 p.m.
And I assume that AnnArbor.com will see if the man has a comment once his name is released? By the way...who would think that it's a good plan to steal a GPS? Aren't they, you know...kind of easy to track? :)
InsideTheHall
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:06 p.m.
What's his name?
RJA
Tue, Nov 23, 2010 : 3:05 p.m.
Lol, I guess they were his items before he was stopped. Great Job Washtenaw Police Officers!!!