City of Grosse Pointe Arrests Short-Change Artist

Criminal activity in the Village in the has been fairly quiet this holiday season but police are warning merchants to be aware of short-changing behavior after they arrested a man earlier this week for the crime. 

The 58-year-old man is from Detroit but is currently homeless. He entered two businesses in the Village, and Monday evening and short-changed employees at both businesses. 

An employee from one of the businesses realized it right away and called police. She lost $10 and then pointed the man out to responding officers as he was just down the block standing in the Village, according to a report.

When the officers approached the man, he began complaining of chest pains and insisted on being taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, an employee from the other business counted her drawer and discovered money missing as well. 

While officers were preparing to take the man to the hospital, the man told them he couldn't believe they were giving him a hard time since he "only got $5 out of the deal."

Within minutes of him being admitted to the hospital, staff called officers to report that he left without being discharged. Officers found him again near Cadieux and Kercheval within a few minutes, and arrested him again, according to a report.

Director of Public Safety Stephen Poloni said overall criminal activity, such as shoplifting or other problems that typically increase near the holidays, have not been a problem this year. Part of that may be due to an increased presence of officers in the Village, he said. 

Officers are always patroling the Village and the City's other business districts on Mack Avenue and Fisher Road, Poloni said, but there has been an effort to increase foot patrols in the Village.

Ultimately, the homeless man was released from police custody because the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office declined to prosecute the case, saying the little amount of he got away with could have been an error on the part of the employees, City Detective Alan Gwyn said.

Since, there has been an effort to notify merchants about short-changing and educate them on the signs of such behavior, Gwyn said. It's unknown if the man will return to the area to try again, but he has a lengthy criminal history all involving theft, swindling or other similar offenses, Gwyn said.

Short-changing involves a person trying to distract an employee during a cash transaction, whether it's through conversation or requests to break a big bill or to allege the incorrect change was given. The short-change artist may also attempt to confuse the amounts of money being discussed and exchanged.