A rash of recent M-15 area break-ins has business owners irked and police looking for answers.
At least six local businesses have reported forced entries in the last two months, even three on the same night last week according to police.
‘Due to the time frame and area we’re sure these break-ins are related,? said Oakland County Sheriff Sgt. Tim McIsaac of the Brandon substation.
‘We’re in the process of setting up an information exchange with the Michigan State Police and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department. We believe they are local suspects with a possible drug habit that are responsible for the break-ins.?
McIsaac, says deputies have beefed-up business patrols and suggested that all area businesses invest in alarms and keep interior lights on in the stores after hours.
‘It may cost a little more but it pays off in the long run.?
The business break-ins were reported in the Atlas, Brandon, and Groveland township areas.
On March 7, the front door was broken into at Valvoline Instant Oil Change, 291 S. Ortonville Road. The intruders forced open the office door and cash was stolen. At 11:08 p.m., the alarm sounded at Ken’s Coney Island, 100 S. Ortonville Road, as the patio door was broken. Nothing was taken. The restaurant also had a break-in on Jan.16, along with neighboring business Creations Nail & Spa, 80 S. Ortonville Road. The spa’s back door was broken into with a crowbar and money was stolen.
Deputies from the Atlas Township Precinct of the Genesee County Sheriff Department took a break-in report March 8 from Margie Davison, owner of Margie’s Pizza & Pasta, located at 8341 S. State Road in Goodrich.
The back door was sledge-hammered repeatedly, but it appears suspects entered through a south-side window, says Detective Sgt. Joe Parks, Atlas Township precinct commander.
Impressions of a work shoe, estimated to be size 9 to 12, were made, and fingerprints were taken at the scene.
Meat and cheese stolen from the freezer has an estimated value of $500, and $175 cash was also taken, some from fund-raisers the restaurant was participating in, including one to benefit a local cancer patient.
Davison had decided not to renew her insurance due to financial difficulties after her husband died of cancer last August, she said.
‘It’s literally almost put me out of business. I am so upset, I don’t think they stopped to think what they can do to ruin people’s lives.?
The break-in at Margie’s is estimated to have occurred between 8 p.m. March 7 and 8 a.m. March 8, said Parks.
A sledge hammer was also used to smash a metal entry door at RSI, Inc., a business at 160 N. Ortonville Road in Groveland Township. Glass was also smashed out of a door to the building, where suspects made off with five marbled antique gear-shift knobs sometime between 5:30 p.m. March 7 and 8:30 a.m. March 8.
Groveland troopers are also looking into a break-in at Tranquility Spa, located at 250 N. Ortonville Road in Groveland Township.
In the spa break-in, which is believed to have taken place Feb. 27, no force was used, and suspects took lotions, fingernail polish, hair products, and cash.
Police are also investigating two break-ins that occurred at Area #1 Real Estate, 252 M-15, on Feb. 22 and March 4. During the first burglary, intruders used a paving stone to break a rear window and stole two computer monitors. On March 4, the rear window was broken again by a rock and the replaced monitors were stolen, as well as a Dell computer workstation and a generator. The thief was cut on the broken glass from the window and a piece of the glass with blood on it has been taken as evidence. Blood was also on a wall of the business.
Dan Wright, manager of Area #1 Real Estate, said that on March 5, an employee of the business noticed a white car, Pontiac make, behind the office around 9-9:30 p.m. Suspicious because of the robberies, he drove back there to get the plate number and two boys in the car ducked and sped off.
Wright said the business has now installed an alarm system with motion detectors and two sirens that should ‘scare everyone to death if they go off.?
Shelley Locher, co-owner of Valvoline, said their business has also installed an alarm system.
? I hope they find out who’s doing this before they vandalize or burglarize anyone else in the area,? she said.
To report information regarding these or any break-ins call the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Brandon Sub-Station (248) 627-4911.