Police Respond to Recent Break-Ins With Advice to Rochester-Area Homeowners

Make your home look occupied and difficult to break into, police advise.

Reports of multiple break-ins in Rochester and Rochester Hills and across Oakland County this month have police issuing warnings and tips to area homeowners. Over the weekend, three home invasions were reported in Rochester. (Read Rochester Police Chief Warns Public About Recent Break-Ins And in the past three weeks there have been multiple break-ins reported in Rochester Hills. On Tuesday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard issued a news release advising residents to take "simple steps to make your home more difficult to enter and less enticing to would-be burglars." Bouchard urged residents to make your home look occupied and difficult to break into by following these tips:

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Rochester Police Chief Warns Public About Recent Break-Ins

The department responded to three home break-ins in the past five days; there are extra patrols out in Rochester right now.

Rochester Police Chief Steve Schettenhelm is asking residents to be mindful of locking doors and windows in the wake of three residential break-ins in the past five days.  The incidents happened between Thursday and Sunday and occurred: In all of the instances, the suspect or suspects entered through windows and stole jewelry. "Detectives are working with other police agencies to share information about these crimes," Schettenhelm said. "There is some physical evidence that was collected by evidence technicians. This evidence will be further processed with the hope of leading  to the identification of the suspect(s)." Schettenhelm suggests exterior lighting as a crime-prevention tool. He said area departments are providing extra patrols.

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Man Charged in Rochester Jewelry Store Robbery Was Area Soccer Coach

Kevin Papuga faces two counts of armed robbery in connection with the November incident at a downtown Rochester shop.

One of the two men facing armed robbery charges in connection with a jewelry store heist in downtown Rochester was coach of a high school girls' soccer team.  Kevin Andrew Papuga, 22, of White Lake, was also an assistant coach in a regional youth soccer organization. Papuga and Johnny Matthew Hall, 32, of Troy, were charged in connection with the Nov. 2 robbery of Antiques and Fine Jewelry by Pamela, police in Rochester announced this week. They say three men wearing hats, hoodies and sunglasses restrained a store employee with duct tape while robbing the store at gunpoint.  A third unnamed man is "cooperating with police" in connection with the case; he faces charges in Macomb County on an unrelated narcotics charge, according to …

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Ron Harman

3:41 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013

Both Bob, Stuart and Patricia have stated the obvious problems and expense involved in wireing up Rochester for every and any reasons whatsoever. Whoever is fearful? I too suggest you purchase and maintain your own Security Cameras.   more ›

If You Rob Us in Rochester, You're Going To Be Caught, Shop Owner Says

Pamela Krampf expresses her gratitude to police and to the downtown restaurant that was instrumental in solving the armed robbery at her jewelry store.

The owner of a downtown Rochester jewelry shop that was robbed at gunpoint last fall said this week she is "extraordinarily happy and thankful" that the men who police say are responsible for the theft have been caught. On Tuesday, Rochester Police announced the arrest of three men in connection with the robbery of Antiques and Fine Jewelry by Pamela. Two men, Johnny Matthew Hall, 32, of Troy, and Kevin Andrew Papuga, 22, of White Lake Township, were charged with armed robbery in the case. A third man, whom Rochester Police have not identified, is cooperating with police and was charged in Macomb County on an unrelated narcotics charge.  "We hope this is a deterrent, that if you come and rob us in Rochester, you're going to be pursued …

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Ron Harman

3:42 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013

Good Reply Bob!   more ›

On St. Paddy's Day, Police Catch People with Downtown Statue, Bags of Ice, Car in Mud

Here's a roundup of police activity in downtown Rochester on the biggest bar day of the year.

A couple caught carrying a Native American statue around downtown Rochester on Sunday afternoon was arrested after a foot chase down Main Street ended in a fight with police and a bar security guard. The incident happened at 4:12 p.m. on St. Patrick's Day.  According to Rochester Police, an officer patrolling downtown noticed two people carrying the statue near the intersection of Main and Third streets; it had been taken from the front of a business in the 300 block of Main Street.  When confronted, the couple dropped the statue and ran, according to a police report. The officer caught up with them in front of Main Street Billiards on Main Street; a member of the bar's security staff helped the officer detain the man and woman, and the …

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Police Use Taser to Break Up Fight in Downtown Rochester Parking Lot

The fight between two men started when one man kicked the other man's car door, police say.

Rochester Police officer used a Taser to break up a fight Sunday morning in a downtown parking lot. The incident happened at 2:15 a.m. Sunday near Walnut and Second streets.  According to a report from Rochester Police, an officer was on street patrol when he observed two men fighting in the parking lot. After trying to break up the fight, the officer deployed his Taser. The men, a 34-year-old from Macomb and a 26-year-old from Auburn Hills, both tested over the legal limit for alcohol and were arrested for disorderly intoxication. The fight had started when the 26-year-old man kicked the car door of the 34-year-old man, the police report stated. There were no serious injuries reported.

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Caught: Suspect in Downtown Rochester Jewelry Store Heist

Police say Curtis Dontez Webb robbed Lucido Fine Jewelry in July.

A 22-year-old Detroit man sought by Rochester Police since the robbery of a downtown jewelry store this summer has turned himself in. Police identified Curtis Dontez Webb from a fingerprint recovered from the scene of the July 28 robbery of Lucido's Fine Jewelry, said Rochester Police Chief Steve Schettenhelm. Police issued a warrant for his arrest and, along with the Oakland County Fugitive Apprehension Team, began an extensive search for him. Schettenhelm said Webb turned himself in to the Oakland County Jail on Sunday night; he was arraigned this week before 52-3 District Court Magistrate Melinda Balian on charges of first-degree retail fraud and receiving and concealing stolen property valued at more than $20,000. He remains jailed on …

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Teens Charged in Weekend Theft From Rochester Business

They were caught stealing almost $50,000 in items, according to Rochester Police.

Three teen-agers were charged Tuesday with stealing almost $50,000 in jewelry, cash, clothing and other items from a Rochester business on Sunday afternoon. According to Rochester Police Chief Steve Schettenhelm, the 18- and 19-year-olds were seen Sunday afternoon carrying bags of items from an office building near University and Helen streets. After a description of the suspects was broadcast to officers in the area, one of the teen-agers was found within five minutes at Wilcox and Second streets in the city. Within 10 minutes, the other two suspects were apprehended near Wilcox and University.  Christian Stirgus, 19, of Belleville, Robert Standfield, 18, of Keego Harbor and Forrest Love, 18, of Rochester were charged with felony larceny …

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UFWC 951SUCKS

8:23 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

what makes you think they live in an apartment complex. I did not read that anywhere. You afraid they might be visiting your apartment soon.   more ›

2 Bikes Missing in Rochester: Have You Seen Them?

Bikes were reported stolen on Sunday and Wednesday. Here's a description.

Two bikes were reported stolen this week in Rochester, according to reports from the Rochester Police Department. On Wednesday night, a resident in the 1100 block of Ironwood reported a grey Nishiki mountain bike stolen. It has "Nishiki" in bright green letters on the frame.  On Sunday night, a black Kink Curb bike was reported stolen from the 100 block of Main Street. It has white electrical tape on the handle bars and on the top bar of the fame.  If you have information about the bikes, please call the Rochester Police Department at 248-651-9621.