Police Blotter: 3 Auto Thefts, 1 Attempt

police are investigating an overnight burglary in the 900 block of Shoreham Road. A man doing work for the homeowners arrived Aug. 6 to work and discovered the burglary. The screen of a back window had been cut and an upstairs bedroom had been ransacked. The worker also discovered a plastic grocery bag in the garage filled with jewelry and other valuables from the bedroom, according to a report.

police are investigating an attempted burglary of a home in the 1000 block of Yorkshire Road. A screen was removed from the home overnight July 31 and there were attempts to pry open the window; however the window was locked and the would-be burglar did not get inside, according to a report. 

Auto thefts

Grosse Pointe Woods police are investigating the theft of a van from a driveway in the 1900 block of Severn Road. The owner's wife found the van was missing Aug. 8 when she went outside to take their children to summer camp. It had been parked there the night before and was last seen by the residents about 10 p.m. Sunday. The residents found broken glass in the driveway and street but did not hear anything overnight, according to a report. In another case, a resident in the 1900 block of Oxford Road reported damage to his vehicle in what he believed was an overnight attempt to steal his truck between Aug. 5-6. The steering column near the ignition of the truck was damaged, which was photographed, according to a report. 

Grosse Pointe Park police are investigating the theft of a Toyota RAV4 from the 1100 block of Lakepointe Street. The SUV was parked and locked in the street and stolen overnight July 31, according to a report. In another case, a 2010 Dodge Challenger with the keys left in the ignition was stolen from the 15200 block of Jefferson Aug. 4 between 10:15 and 10:40 p.m., according to a report. 

Pursuit of Stolen Car

Two men led Grosse Pointe Park police on a chase about 12:10 a.m. Aug. 7 after refusing to stop for speeding. As the patrol officer initiated a traffic stop, the vehicle—a 2002 Dodge Caravan—was discovered as stolen from Center Line on Aug. 6. The pursuit began near Mack and Maryland and continued into Detroit. Officers stopped the pursuit near McNichols and Eldon, according to a report.

In a similar situation, Park police arrested a 20-year-old Detroit woman Aug. 4 after stopping her near Mack and Lakepointe for speeding. During the traffic stop, the officer discovered the 2011 Ford Edge she was driving was reported stolen from Richmond, MI, in February. The car was seized and the woman was arrested, according to a report. 

Property Damage

Grosse Pointe Park police are investigating damage to a home in the 1000 block of Harvard. The homeowner heard a loud crash about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 3 and found out a few minutes later that the front window had been smashed with a brick, according to a report. In another similar case, the storm window of a home in the 1000 block of Grayton was broken by a small rock between Aug. 3-5, according to a report.

Theft from Garage 

Grosse Pointe Woods police are investigating the theft of a lawnmower from a garage in the 1900 block of Broadstone. It was stolen overnight between Aug. 5-6. The owner discovered the mower was missing and then found that a leaf blower had been taken off of a shelf and set on the floor. The garage was not damaged nor were there any signs of forced entry. The owner could not recall whether the door may have been open, according to a report. Meanwhile, detectives believe have been committed by one person. 

Animal Control Call

Grosse Pointe Woods removed a dead, decaying raccoon from the window well of a home in the 600 block of Shoreham Road Aug. 6. The resident called to report a possible dead animal due to odor. The officer estimated the raccoon had been dead for two to three weeks and the recent heat sped up the decomposition. The resident was advised to use insect spray to rid the window well of maggots and bleach to alleviate the odor, according to a report. 

For questions, email sara.eaton-martin@patch.com.