Saline teenager accused of stealing safe during home invasion, robbery
Saline police say three young men orchestrated a robbery by claiming they needed to use the phone, then pinning a resident to the floor while stealing his safe bolted to a bedroom wall.
One of the suspects, 17-year-old Andrew Wszolek of Saline, was recently arraigned at district court on counts of home invasion, conspiracy, safe breaking and unarmed robbery for the Nov. 5 incident. He remains in custody on $25,000 bond.
Officers responded to the Six Trails apartments in the 800 block of Valley Circle Drive at about 10 a.m. for a burglary reported by a maintenance worker, reports said. The caller said he saw three men walk out of an apartment building and run through the parking lot after a shirtless man chased after them.
Officers determined the shirtless man was the victim. Reports show he told police he was inside his apartment when Wszolek, an acquaintance, came to the door to use his phone. He made a few calls from the victim’s cell phone and opened the door just as two other men stormed in, said Officer Ashley Kohfal, who investigated the incident.
One of the men forcibly held the victim down while Wszolek and another intruder entered a bedroom. The victim soon heard loud thumps and crashes from the room, and then both men came out carrying a safe that was bolted to the bedroom wall, according to reports. They let the victim loose and fled with the safe. He wasn't injured.
A police tracking dog led officers along a path through a small wooded area behind the apartment complex that connects to the nearby River Ridge manufactured homes. The dog lost the trail due to extremely windy and cold conditions, reports said. But officers found a cell phone along the path that later yielded significant evidence, Detective Don Lupi said.
The phone, believed to belong to one of the intruders, contained several text messages that indicated they were together at the time and were planning illegal activity, police said.
Police said there was significant damage to the drywall where the safe was bolted to a shelf. They also found evidence of possible marijuana use and a small growing operation in the apartment, reports said.
Police have not found the safe and would not discuss what valuables were inside. Lupi said at least two other men conspired to rob that particular victim, and the investigation is ongoing.
“This was not a random crime, and we fully believe that it appeared to be a planned and targeted attempt to get whatever valuables were inside the safe,” Lupi said.
Reports show Wszolek denied any knowledge of the incident or having the victim’s cell phone during an initial interview with police. Police said they arrested him without incident at his home after securing a warrant. He does not have an attorney listed on court records.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Fat Bill
Tue, Dec 7, 2010 : 10:57 p.m.
Every town has at least one place where people lower on the social strata live. I am a single parent in Saline, I work 60+ hours per week trying to make ends meet. You try to set an example and make clear what behavior will and will not be tolerated, but there is no 100% foolproof way to ensure that your child will stay on the straight and narrow. Having a stay-at-home parent once the kids are in school has become the exception instead of the rule.
SMAIVE
Tue, Dec 7, 2010 : 2:12 p.m.
I wouldn't be so sure on the taxes, according to Saline's web site, the taxes for 801 Valley Drive (Six Trail's address) appear to be in arrears for 2009, with 2010 summer/winter outstanding. https://is.bsasoftware.com/bsa.is/TaxServices/ServiceTaxDetails.aspx?dp=18-18-01-325-013&i=3&sna=Valley+Circle&snf=799&snt=805&appid=1&actSn=801&actSna=VALLEY+CIRCLE+DR&unit=286
stunhsif
Tue, Dec 7, 2010 : 2:49 a.m.
SMAIVE, Well said. I graduated from Saline in 1977 and back then it was called Mill Valley, we called it Pill Valley because of all the drug dealing. This eyesore has been and will probably forever the "inner city of Saline". Good Day No Luck Needed
insaline
Tue, Dec 7, 2010 : 12:13 a.m.
What does the dual negativity do for Saline? @SMAIVE- seriously? You still subscribe to that nasty mentality? Take away the Six Trails tax dollars from Saline (like that big hole uptown) and you will surely sing another story. And those who are feigning concern, only to openly deride Saline: Seriously? Get a grip. It's a town moving into city status (whether from A2 bedroom outgrowth or because people want to be here). We are not just the stereotypes.
CobraII
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 12:01 p.m.
I thought all youth crime was to end after The Fifth Corner opened. I can't imagine Saline's youth wanting to steal drugs, I thought their parents supplied all they needed along with the BMW.
Tag
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 11:40 a.m.
Police said there was significant damage to the drywall where the safe was bolted to a shelf. They also found evidence of possible marijuana use and a small growing operation in the apartment, reports said. I'm shocked no one has picked up on this line. Hello.... motive? Kids just looking to get high. But wait..... Saline doesn't have a drug problem. Oh... wait that's right marijuana isn't REALLY drugs.
Fab Four
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 10:05 a.m.
There are numerous children who grow up in homes with working parents that raise their little darlings into law abiding, productive citizens. No doubt these boys are troubled but there are many more kids in Saline who are not breaking the law and in fact are setting good examples, raised by parents who care and have a clue as to what is going on these days.
Steve Pepple
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 8:50 a.m.
An off-topic comment has been removed.
zip the cat
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 8:40 a.m.
Parents now days havent a clue or better yet could care less what there little darlings are up to at anytime. I have a neighbor who has a 16 yr old daughter who runs around all hours of the night and is very rarely home on weekends,and drives like she owns the road. Mom and dad both work and I guess ignor what she is into.
4x4Saline
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 8:22 a.m.
I wish the parents of these 17-year olds would finally step up and be accountable for their poorly raised kids. November 5th was a Friday night - do parents not keep eyes on their kids anymore? Last week, two teenage boys stole a Jeep from a Saline driveway...in the middle of the week around 10:30pm, the night before final exams. Why were these boys out stealing cars when they should have been home studying? I'm tired of parents not taking responsibility for their kids and leaving it up to the officials to "put them in their place", which apparently is behind bars. Shame on you parents for the neglect and abandonment.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 7:40 a.m.
Well names can be changed but the culprits took a path to a very nice and well kept community. The "River Ridge manufactured homes" community is clean and quiet, and the neighbors watch out for each other. As a Transplant from out of state I lived in the "River Ridge manufactured homes" community for the first 18 months after I arrived in Michigan. I visited the community several times over a 4 year period before I relocated. I have good friends there. I bet these characters ran over the river and through different woods after they saw where they were running to. (Unless it was a couple of bad apples in the River Ridge community.) Someone probably spotted them coming in and scared the culprit enough to run and drop his cell phone in the dark. I love the way the culprit left the phone behind with the evidence still in it. Time to cop a good plea to stay free. Good Luck!
SMAIVE
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 7:02 a.m.
Mill Valley, River Oaks, Six Trails....one can change the name, but it's still the same, lame, shame of Saline.