Boy Called 'One-Man Crime Wave' After Admitting to 60 Car Break-Ins
The 16-year-old was caught Saturday morning in Rochester Hills while driving in a truck that he had stolen for the third time.
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OUTSIDE DETROIT, MI -- Police in Rochester Hills say they took into custody over the weekend the person responsible for breaking into more than 60 cars in the Rochester area since February.
And as they work to identify many of the recovered GPS units, iPods and other stolen items—and while they further investigate the case—the accused has been released to his parents.
He is 16.
Detective Lt. Ray White from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office called the boy a "one-man crime wave" in describing his wrongdoings over the past three months: in addition to the car break-ins the boy has admitted to stealing a car and breaking into a garage, which both can be considered felonies, White said.
Here, according to White, is how the boy's crime spree ended along Livernois Road early Saturday morning.
A stolen truck
At 2:08 a.m. Saturday, a resident of Colony Drive, off Drexelgate Parkway west of Rochester Road, phoned the sheriff's office to report his 2003 Toyota Tundra had been stolen.
The victim had been through this before: over the past few months, he had had a vehicle stolen three times. Each time, the vehicle was taken in the night and returned by morning.
Once, his truck was returned with more gas than it had at the time it was stolen.
In the first theft, the vehicle's keys had been left inside; police said they believe the thief kept the keys, using them to gain access to the truck on future nights.
After hearing this latest report of the stolen vehicle on Saturday morning, deputies stationed themselves near Colony Drive to watch out for the truck to be returned.
At 5:42 a.m., a deputy noticed the truck near its owner's home. The deputy put on his cruiser's lights and followed the truck down Drexelgate Parkway and onto Livernois. The truck pulled over, and when the deputy walked out of the cruiser to approach the driver, a boy jumped out of the truck and, carrying a skateboard, started to run north along the Livernois sidewalk.
The boy fell and deputies caught up with him. They immediately took him into custody.
Stolen electronics
When deputies searched the truck, they found a computer, several GPS units, iPods and other electronic equipment. The boy admitted stealing the truck three times.
And then he admitted something else: that he had broken into about 60 cars in the Rochester area since February.
"He didn't take things from every one, but he took things from many of them," White said.
"We tell people: don't leave things in plain view in your car and don't leave your cars unlocked. Most of the vehicles he broke into were left unlocked in driveways or lots."
The boy also admitted breaking into one garage, which is considered a home invasion, White said. From the garage, he stole some hockey sticks, which were left in the truck when he eventually returned it that night.
The boy, who lives on Hamlin Road, has been released to his parents pending completion of the investigation and pending a petition charging him with multiple offenses in Probate Court. There is no known connection between the boy and the owner of the truck he took during his crime sprees.
In the meantime, White is working to return many of the recovered items to their owners.
If you were the victim of a car break-in and wonder if any of the items belong to you, call the sheriff's office's auto theft unit at 248-537-3512.
In This article
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Oakland County Sheriff's Office - Rochester Hills Substation
750 Barclay Cir, Rochester Hills, MI
e
4:32 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Why is it not common sense to keep your car and house locked/
NashvilleBill
2:12 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
If you lock your car a thief will smash the window to get inside only to find nothing worth stealing...
However, you do get a smashed window out of the deal...
MJM
2:20 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Why the heck do people take what isn't theirs? But, I live in the real world too.
Rick H
9:44 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Don't blame the victims. Whether the car or house is locked or unlocked is irrelevant.
Heather
4:39 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Why the heck was he released? Why in the world didn't they have an idea this was occurring?
Christopher
4:53 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
So much for the juvenile justice system, and for parental control.
Texas NDN
2:37 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
It doesn't say much for personal accountability either.
Barbara Krueger
5:00 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Released to his parents????????? They never noticed their kid in bed?
james.stevensforsheriff
6:50 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
SIGN UP FOR BOOT CAMP, I WILL PUT YOU THERE..BIG JIM FOR SHERIFF
Sutikasm
11:06 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
This kid is bad agreed. But when yer kid is 16 and he's sneaking out at 2 am, the car was stolen around 2 am, I can see how his parents didn't know since he was returning the car around 530. When her kid is 16 you think he's old enough not to check on several times in the night when you're sleeping. Anyone who has teenagers or remembers being one also knows how sneaky they r and how good they r about hiding things. But let the beatings begin.
Peter Griffin
11:38 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
a 2003 Tundra...a truck??? really?? seriously???? a truck????? hahahahahahahahaha....a truck.....hahahahahahahahahahaha.....my side hurts now.
Escalonz
2:29 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Our justice system sucks big time. Liberalism any one?
Texas NDN
2:39 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Wouldn't want to hurt their self esteem.
A. M. King
3:37 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
This is a bad kid. I think, among other things, a public flogging is in order!
HSM
3:38 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Released to his parents!!! Why wasn t he put in juvenile detention? I am a former police officer and if this occured in my city he would not be released to his parents as they obviously have no control over him. Also where did he keep all of the items he stole? If he dosen t cooperate tell him he would be charged as an adult as that would get his attention. Maybe his parents need a course in how to be a parent. I worry if there are any other children in the family.
Texas NDN
4:22 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
HSM, I couldn't agree with you more. I sent the article to my daughter-in-law who is a LEO in a town a few miles east of me. She about flipped. Up here (small rural towns) not only would the little turd be locked up, it would have been in the next day's area paper. I hope there's no other kids. If those parents don't have any more contorl over the older one, I doubt they pay much attention to any others.
AEH6060
4:31 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Don't be so quick to judge. Being a teenager myself I know that sometimes we tend to act out due to something happening in our lives. Like, maybe his parents are getting a divorce or something's going on with his family. Sure, not all teenagers go out and steal a truck or steal stuff as they "act out" but everyone has their own way of dealing with things whether it be getting piercings, a tattoo, running away, or whatever. But ridiculing him is no way to go about this. I'm sure he feels like crap already and who knows, maybe he's read all of this and feels even worse. Either way what's done is done.
Texas NDN
5:47 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
AEH6060, a whole lot of us had it rough as kids. What it boils down to is the choices we make. We make them all on our own with full knowledge of right & wrong. It's all about taking full responsiblity for what you do & not blaming it on someone/something else other than the choice that YOU made to do whaever it was.
Deb Bailey
5:53 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
AEH6060, I'm thinking this young man is not feeling bad about anything he's done. He's stolen this truck 3 times! Unless he gets a major heads up, the only place this young man will do with his live is sit in a prison cell/.
Deb Bailey
5:51 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Boot camp would probably not do this young man any good at all. !6 and he's committed all these crimes over a 3 month period! And felonies to boot!? This young man needs a wake-up call and he needs it RIGHT NOW! If not, he will spend his life in and out of prison. Where is this young man's parents in all this?
mike
9:44 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
And who wants to take a bet that mommy and daddy are making excuses for their precious little baby,, darn mean ol police picking on their child and those people who tempted him with all those things they left in their cars
Deb Bailey
6:33 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Of course Mom & Dad are making excuses for him! This young man should have been taken to juvenile hall and to court to address all these crimes he's committed. Why hasn't that happened?
Deb Bailey
6:33 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Rick H, if you think I'm blaming the victims, you're wrong. I blame the 16 year old. He's old enough to know better. And if his parents are making excuses for him, shame on them. As I said, this 16 year old will spend his life in and out of prison... probably mostly in.
Quick-Rite Wildlife Control Specialists
3:20 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
We had a few work trucks broken into a few months back. According to police there where 13 cars broken into our street the same night.
Constantine
9:23 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
He might have stolen some things, but with gas prices these days I'm sure the truck owner appreciates the extra gas. He did not get the losing end his truck was returned to him each night and with a nice payment of gas. He should be happy.
Peter Griffin
10:31 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
For one thing, it's not a truck....it's a 2002-03 tundra (hardly a real capable "truck"). For another, the kid is an idiot. You DON'T take something that doesn't belong to you...you DON'T borrow without permission. This kid is a waste of space and needs to go to prison. He's even guilty of home invasion.
Sounds like you know this loser and you are sticking up for him. Here's some advise -- get some smarter friends.
Jenna mason
10:42 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I know who he is and hes not as bad as he seems
Peter Griffin
7:49 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Sounds like a thief to me. "Not as bad as he seems"...I bet he is worse! A decent person does not take what doesn't belong to them, no matter what their "story" is. I hope he goes to jail (or prison) for a while so Rochester Hills can be a little bit safer.
LaFlower
7:36 am on Saturday, July 14, 2012
No matter how much a parent teaches their child to walk the right path in life sometimes they chose the wrong one. We only hope they learn from their misatke and change their path to be a better person.