Crime Report: Break-ins at Grand River Businesses

are investigating three burglaries discovered Dec. 10 at businesses located near Grand River and 9 Mile Road. 

According to the report, the owner of one business called police after he arrived at 10 a.m. that morning to find the back door pried open. Nothing was reported missing, but the business cash register was broken and filing cabinets were left open. Electronics, merchandise and tools were all left in the building. 

While investigating that break-in, officers found a neighboring business also had its door pried open and $30-$40 was taken from a cash box, the report indicated. Cabinets and desk drawers were open, but nothing else was taken. A third business had pry marks on its door, but was apparently not entered. 

Vehicle keyed

A 72-year-old Farmington Hills woman parked her vehicle in the Downtown Farmington Center lot at around 2:45 p.m. on Dec. 8 and returned to find the vehicle had been "keyed". According to the report, the woman told police that after she parked across from the Post Office, the driver parked in the next space elbowed her side mirror so it folded back and called her an obscene name. The report indicated that a witness saw the other driver, described as being in his 40s, 5'10"-5'11", 170 lbs. with short, wavy, sandy hair, get into his light-colored Honda, then get back out and wave his hand around the woman's vehicle. The witness spotted the damage and got the vehicle's license plate number as the man was driving away. The case remains under investigation. 

Hit and run charged

Authorities responded Dec. 10 around 8:30 a.m. to the report of a possible drunk driver on Grand River near Drake Rd. According to the report, the person who called police said the vehicle was all over the road and striking curbs. When police stopped the vehicle, the windows appeared frosted over, and the 79-year-old driver said he had trouble seeing because of the frost. The report indicated that the car had heavy front-end damage, and the driver told the officer he hit a small black car in a center lane.

While police were talking to the driver, a report came in that were investigating a hit and run with a vehicle matching the description of the one the driver said he hit. Because the man appeared confused, the officer contacted his nephew to pick him up. Farmington Hills Police cited the man for the accident, according to the report. 

Alcohol and minors

A 19-year-old Livonia woman and a 20-year-old Farmington Hills woman both face charges of being minors in possession of alcohol, after a Dec. 9 incident at the American Legion in Farmington. According to the report, additional patrols were requested in the area after a school resource officer about a party that evening where alcohol and drugs were likely to be present. An officer spotted a vehicle in the back of the American Legion parking lot, and as he approached, the two women and a man got out. The report indicated that the officer noticed a strong odor of intoxicants and an open bottle of alcohol in the back seat. Portable breath tests showed the man had no alcohol in his system; the women had blood alcohol levels of .048 and .077. Michigan law prohibits minors from having any blood alcohol content. After being ticketed, the women were released, the report indicated. 

Narcotics violations

A 17-year-old Farmington Hills youth spotted smoking in a vehicle at Colchester and Lamar around 7:40 a.m. on Dec. 8 faces charges of possessing marijuana, narcotics paraphernalia, and tobacco. According to the report, an officer noticed a strong odor of marijuana when he approached the vehicle, and a search uncovered a baggie of marijuana, a marijuana pipe and a package of cigarettes. A 17-year-old passenger in the vehicle was taken to Farmington High School, where both the teens are students. The driver was booked at Farmington Dept. of Public Safety and released to his mother. 

An officer preparing to stop a vehicle for speeding on Freedom Rd. at 2:49 a.m. on Dec. 6 saw another vehicle drive through a red light at Drake Rd. According to the report, the officer pursued and stopped that vehicle, noticing an odor of marijuana as he talked with the driver, a 19-year-old Farmington Hills man. A search of the vehicle turned up marijuana under the front passenger seat. The passenger was ticketed for not wearing a seat belt and transported to Farmington Hills Police after a background check showed an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. The report indicated that the driver told police he was on probation on alcohol-related charges out of the 52nd District Court; he was booked and lodged at Farmington Public Safety.