Lead in Farms Burglaries Being Pursued

The police in the Grosse Pointes are investigating a variety of burglaries that began in late July and continue into August. While there is nothing yet to tie all of the crimes together, investigators believe they may be related.

At least one possible lead is being pursued in Grosse Pointe Farms, where investigators believe three recent burglaries are related, Director of Public Safety Dan Jensen said this week.

A fingerprint at one of the scenes is being analyzed and investigators are awaiting the results, Jensen said.

In the most recent case, Grosse Pointe Farms police were called to a home in the 400 block of Roland Road by the homeowners who discovered their house was burglarized while they were out of town.

It is believed to have happened between Aug. 17 to 19. The homeowners were out of town and returned to find a kitchen screen on the floor leaning against a sink and a missing laptop from a bedroom. Additionally there were several jewelry boxes on top of a dresser that were inside when they left. Several doors and drawers were open throughout the house as well. A neighbor who was watching the house at the time noticed the screen about 11:30 a.m. Aug. 18 and contacted the owners, who talked to her as she walked through the house in an attempt to determine whether anything was missing. She could not find anything. The neighbor found dirt all over the kitchen but after believing it wasn't a burglary, she cleaned up the dirt and closed the window, according to a report.

On Aug. 13, a home on Shelbourne was burglarized between 12:15 to 2:10 p.m. and was discovered by the homeowner, who found a screen on the lawn. Several earrings that were found on the ground outside and near a doorway were the next alert to the resident.

There were in the in which screens were removed and the person entered the homes while the homeowner was present. Those cases also remain under investigation.

Earlier this summer there was also in the middle of the night and valuables were taken while residents slept inside.

Meanwhile, a 61-year-old Sunningdale Drive resident reported that someone tried to enter his home overnight by removing a screen. The resident discovered the screen about 11:30 a.m. Aug. 15 and officers found pry marks on the screen and window-frame that matched up. The resident said he didn't believe anything was taken because several valuables inside had not been moved and he could not find anything missing, according to a report.

In a similar case, Grosse Pointe Shores police are also investigating damage done to two screens and a key pad cover in the 60 block of Oxford Road July 29. The owners discovered the damage on Aug. 29 upon returning home from out of town but their son had been there while they were gone. The son had not noticed any of the damage. Entry was not made into the house from what responding officers could tell. Although screens were bent there were not pry marks on the frame, according to a report.

The Director of Public Safety in Grosse Pointe Shores John Schulte said the cases are believed but not confirmed to be related. Both are under investigation and there are many similarities to the other burglaries happening in the other Pointes, Schulte said.

Then on Aug. 20, Grosse Pointe Farms police gave a house in the 300 block of Chalfonte special attention after an alarm elicited their response about 1:30 p.m.and the front door was found ajar. The homeowner was out of town but no one was found inside and nothing appeared to have been taken. Someone who was stopping in check on the house for the resident found that the door jam appeared to have been pushed out. No other signs of forced entry were found. The resident upon returning reported that nothing appeared to have been missing but a cable box was moved, according to a report.

Police have urged residents to be aware of their open windows and screens, even when they are home.