Teens Break-In, Damage Troy Business

TROY, MI — Four Troy teenagers are facing Breaking and Entering and Malicious Destruction of Property charges after emptying fire extinguishers and damaging equipment recently inside of Rochester Road business. Versatube Corporation was broken into on several occasions before Troy Police apprehended the teens on June 8.

According to the company’s website, Versatube Corporation manufactures parts for a variety of industries, including automotive, consumer appliances and electronic housing components, among others. Police reports said employees discovered a break-in on June 7 and the teens had emptied all the fire extinguishers throughout the building.

A vehicle parked inside the building had also been smashed it into a press. Several hi-lo’s were moved about, one becoming entangled with a strip of sheet metal and another struck a fence inside the business, Troy police reports said. Boards covering a broken window from a previous break-in were removed to gain entry into the business.

(For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Troy Patch, click here to find your local Michigan Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The next day, employees discovered the teens in the business at about 3:30 p.m. and confronted them. One of the teens sprayed an employee with a fire extinguisher and then fled. Arriving Troy officers were able to locate a 15-year-old male hiding under a press in the building and arrested him.

A second suspect, 16, was found hiding in a field near the business’ parking lot and was arrested. Based on a description from employees, a third suspect, also 16, was found running toward his home and arrested. The fourth suspect, 15, later turned himself into police.

Reports said all of the suspects were interviewed by police and confessed to breaking into the business on earlier occasions and re-entered the building by prying off a wooden panel. The fourth suspect admitted to spraying the Versatube Corporation and received an additional charge of Assault.

All four suspects were released into the custody of their parents, who agreed to bring them to juvenile court. No damage estimate of damage to the business was listed in reports and no injuries were reported.

File photo.