2 Men Arrested While Crossing Mack Toting Flat Screen TVs

Two Detroit men are being held by and police after numerous residents from the Park and Detroit as well as Mack Avenue business owners called to report them toting large, flat-screen televisions across the busy street. 

The men--19 and 31 years old--are being held in connection to a burglary in the 1400 block of Bishop Road that occurred between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Friday. The men do not live close to the Grosse Pointe/Detroit border, but investigators are not clear why the men picked that particular house, Park Lt. James Smith said. 

City of Grosse Pointe officers were the first to arrive, detaining one of the men. Two others were also arrested a short time later, Smith said. Officers recovered two flat-screen televisions and two laptop computers, which Smith said police believe is everything stolen from the home. 

Originally, police arrested three men believed to be involved, Smith said. After questioning the men, the third was determined to not be involved with this crime, Smith said, although he is still in police custody on outstanding warrants from Macomb County. 

None of the residents was home at the time of the break-in but calls flooded in as the men began crossing Mack Avenue carrying the stolen goods in their hands, Smith said. One of the televisions was 52 inches, he said. 

Officers from the City, the Park and the responded to the call and helped with the investigation, Smith said. 

Detectives questioned the men Friday afternoon and the case has been sent to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office for their review, Smith said. 

Police appreciate the calls they received alerting them to the crime and extend their thank you not only to the residents of Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit and business owners but also to the City for its quick response and help in the arrests, Smith said. 

It was pretty obvious something was amiss, Smith said, noting one of the men was carrying the 52-inch television by himself. The fact that the men didn't use a getaway car to aid in their crime is surprising, as that would be the more typical set up for this type of crime, Smith said. 

"There was no question something wasn't right," Smith said. 

This story was updated with additional information from police Friday May 27, 2011, at 3:43 p.m.