Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News
Troy -- Old fashioned police work has lead to the arrest of two high-tech thieves who may be responsible for dozens of burglaries and break-ins in southeastern Michigan and northern Ohio.
According to police, numerous cities in both states recorded scores of thefts from vehicles during the months of October and November which then invariably lead to burglaries of the victim's homes.
Police said the thieves would target movie theater and restaurant parking lots, stealing GPS and garage-door remote control units from vehicles. They would then use the programmed information in the GPS units to identify the location of victims' homes. The rash of break-ins resulted in cooperative efforts between a number of police agencies who zeroed in on two suspects and their vehicle, a white 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck.
Police officers from the Detroit, Troy, Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Township, Riverview, Rockwood, Trenton and Sylvania, Ohio, police departments began to track the suspects after receiving reports of suspicious pawn activities by the pair.
On Nov. 25, a Pittsfield Township police officer on stake-out arrested the two suspects while a larceny was in progress. One suspect is from Trenton, while the other resides in Rockwood. Both are 23 years old.
The Troy Police Department assisted the Riverview and Trenton police departments with two search warrants at the home of one of the suspects on Nov. 26 and 27.
A large amount of stolen property was recovered at the home, including goods taken from a home in Berkley.
Police believe the pair may be responsible for crimes in Berkley, Clinton Township, Commerce Township, Dearborn Heights, Grosse Pointe, Livonia, New Haven, Pittsfield Township, Riverview, Royal Oak, Southgate, Trenton, Troy, West Bloomfield Township, Wixom, Woodhaven and Sylvania.
tgreenwood@detnews.com (313) 222-2023
http://www.detnews.com/article/20091207/METRO/912070389/1409/METRO/Police-track-down-suspected-GPS-burglars
