Men Flee O'Reilly Auto Parts Store with Stolen Merchandise

DEARBORN — Police arrested a man Saturday afternoon suspected of stealing items from the O'Reilly Auto Parts store on Schaefer Road.

According to reports, officers were dispatched to the store around 6 p.m. in response to a larceny in progress call. Upon arrival, store management told police that two men had concealed $29 worth of products and fled the store in a Mercury Sable. The men were last seen heading westbound on Colson Street from Schaefer Road.

A store employee said he observed a husky 44-year-old Arabic man, later identified as David Moses Chahine of Dearborn, enter the store, select a small cart and a Bondo body repair kit ($19.99) and a quart of Mobil high mileage oil ($9.59). While a second suspect distracted employees, Chahine left the store with the items concealed under his shirt.

The employee said he recognized Chahine because of his alleged involvement in a previous theft.

Officers responded to a home in the 6000 block of Reuter Street that the suspect's vehicle was registered at. After speaking to the homeowner, officers were dispatched to Chahine's apartment in the 7000 block of Freda. Police asked the woman who answered the door if they could speak to her son about the theft at O'Reilly Auto Parts. The woman informed officers that her son did not live with her and that she had not seen him for some time, however she gave permission to search the property.

Officers found Chahine in a back bedroom. He told police that his mother did not know he was home and that he had returned from the auto parts store after helping a friend purchase windshield wiper blades. Chahine said he did not steal anything from the store.

Officers positively identified Chahine from a prior booking photo and arrested the Dearborn man for second degree retail fraud. Chahine was taken to the Dearborn Police Station and released on a $500 cash bond. He was ordered to contact the 19th District Court within 14 days of the arrest.