Farms, City Investigate Wave of Burglaries

Another wave of burglaries in and the are believed to be related but detectives are still investigating.

In the City, three residents in the 800 block of Loraine reported valuables missing from their homes early June 13, according to reports. 

In one case, the resident discovered his laptop stolen from his home early June 13 and was unsure how the burglar entered the home, according to a report.

Similarly, a neighbor also filed a report that her purse was stolen from a kitchen chair. The woman said her husband left the house about 5:30 a.m. for work and when she tried to find her purse shortly after 9 a.m. discovered it was missing. Her husband said he placed it on a kitchen chair but it was not there, according to a report.

Yet another neighboring resident reported her purse was stolen as well. It happened overnight from a kitchen chair from June 12 to 13.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Grosse Pointe Farms police took reports from three residents in which similar crimes were described.Two residents live in the 400 block of Belanger and one in the 400 block of Calvin.

The burglaries all happened overnight June 16 to 17.

In the first report, a resident had placed her purse on the kitchen counter upon returning home June 16. Early the next morning, she received a call from a credit card company alerting her to possible fraudulent activity on her card. Then she discovered her purse, containing her wallet, cash and credits cards missing along with her car keys.

In the second case, the resident discovered his work issued computer, $140 cash, a cell phone and a purse missing.

In the third case, the victims reported a camera lens, a computer, a $100 cash, a purse and credit cards also stolen overnight.

In all three Grosse Pointe Farms cases, according to reports, the burglar entered through unlocked doors or removed ground floor screens and walked in.

In two of the Grosse Pointe Farms cases, credit cards had been used at a gas station in Detroit and to make other purchases elsewhere. Detectives are gathering video surveillance from the gas stations and advised all of the victims to cancel their credit cards, according to a report.

City of Grosse Pointe Detective Sgt. Alan Gwyn said early Thursday that he and a Farms dectective are trying to get together to compare the information each has gathered.

Gwyn said the stolen credits cards from the City of Grosse Pointe residents were being used at a gas station in Detroit to purchase gasoline for multiple people. His understanding is the same thing happened in the Farms.

Essentially, he said the thieves offered to buy gasoline on the stolen credit card for a fee. At one gas station, an attendant shut off the pumps after recognizing what was happening. He called police, but they did not arrive on the scene for two hours, Gwyn said.

An attendant at another gas station told Gwyn if he had tried to call police, it would have been at least four hours before anyone arrived, so he did not bother.

Gwyn has some surveillance video, which shows the thieves--two men--driving an older model green Ford Taurus. He is anxious to find out if the same is true in the Farms investigation.

Patch is awaiting requested information from Grosse Pointe Farms detectives.

This wave of burglaries does not appear to be related to the spree of daytime burglaries that remain unsolved at this point, Gwyn said. The crime is being committed in a different fashion and the burglars are grabbing easy valuables to escape quickly. In the unsolved daytime burglaries, the burglars had been stealing jewelry from bedrooms.

An arrest has been made in some of the daytime burglaries but not all.

Anyone with information is asked to call the appropriate police department.

City of Grosse Pointe: 313-886-3200

Grosse Pointe Farms: 313-885-2100