Police Blotter: Scam Targets Grosse Pointe Woods Woman

police are investigating a possible telephone scam reported by a 63-year-old resident.

The woman called police Nov. 18 after receiving a telephone call from a man identifying himself as being from the U.S. Department of Grants and telling her she was eligible for a $7,000 grant since she'd paid off her credit cards.

The man asked her for her back account number, which she refused to provide. He told her the money would be issued through a Visa card he would link to her bank account. She requested the money be issued on a pre-paid Visa card, but the caller told her that was not possible. He provided her with a website to check out the legitimacy but did not provide her with any additional information.

Responding officers told the woman not to visit the website and that the call would be investigated. They also urged her to monitor her bank and financial accounts closely to ensure no fraudulent activity is taking place, according to a report.

Thief Steals Business Owner's Minivan

Grosse Pointe Woods police are investigating the theft of a Mack Avenue business owner's car. The business owner called police Nov. 17 shortly after 7 p.m. because he discovered his minivan was missing from the parking lot after locking up his business in the 19800 block of Mack Avenue. He did not know who stole the car but reviewed video from a surveillance camera that shows a man approaching the car once, walking away and then approaching it a second time and then driving it away from the parking lot about 5:40 p.m. The van is a 1997 green Plymouth Voyager and the owner said it was locked, according to a report. 

Student Told to Seek Medical Care at Hospital  

police are investigating a fight between two students from . Officers were called to the school Nov. 14, where they found a 16-year-old bleeding from the nose and mouth with swelling to his eye. He was using an ice pack on his face. He told officers he was leaving a class when another student he does not know asked him if he stole his money. He told the other student he did not even know him and he did not steal his money. They then began fighting. School officials had the student pick out the other student with pictures and officers interviewed that student as well. He is a 15-year-old student. The mother of the 16-year-old was advised by police to take her son to a hospital to be evaluated for his injuries, according to a report. 

Cat Bite Results in Hospital Visit

Grosse Pointe Farms public safety officers helped get medical treatment for a 58-year-old man Nov. 15 who sustained a serious cut after being bit by his cat. A patrol officer was flagged down about 10 a.m. in the 300 block of Hillcrest, where he was told there was a man behind one of the houses covered in blood. The officer found the 58-year-old man who lives down the street in a chair bleeding heavily from a cut on his hand. The man, who was intoxicated, told the officer he was feeding his cat when the cat bit him. He proceeded to tell the officer he took the cat in two years prior and would not allow the responding officers to enter his house to retrieve the cat. Paramedics took the man to an area hospital for treatment. Officers sent a report to Wayne County regarding the animal bite, according to a report. 

Drugs, Mental Health Lead to Committment  

Grosse Pointe Farms police took a 20-year-old resident to for a psychological evaluation Nov. 15 after being called by his parents because he was out of control and on drugs. Responding officers found the man outside of his home, yelling and struggling with his father, who was trying to pull him back to the house. Officers used a stun gun to stop him and eventually cuffed him despite his combativeness. His parents said his employer called them to report he was acting strangely at work and needed to leave. His father picked him up from work, brought him home where he fell asleep and then when he woke, he became physically aggressive with his parents. He admitted to taking three Xanax pills and smoking marijuana that day and doing cocaine a few days earlier. His parents told police they were concerned about him because he is bipolar and needed help, according to a report. 

Fight Ends in Arrest

Grosse Pointe Farms police arrested a 25-year-old resident Nov. 14 for domestic battery after his 20-year-old brother called 911 to report being attacked. Responding officers entered the home to look for the older brother and found blood droplets on the floor and the wall. They eventually found both brothers in separate areas of the house. The younger brother told officers his older brother is bipolar and also has a drug problem, so the family keeps track of his medications closely. He questioned his brother because he thought he had searched through their parents bedroom in search of drugs, and the older brother bit his finger breaking skin and struck him in the face with a coffee mug. Officers arrested the older brother and later followed up with the younger brother, who sought medical care at an area emergency room. Officers documented his injuries with photographs, according to a report. 

Customer Fails to Pay at Restaurant

An employee of reported theft by a patron to Grosse Pointe Farms police. The patron, a woman in her 60s, walked out of the restaurant Nov. 16 without paying her $11.25 tab. When confronted in the alley, the woman told the employee she was moving the truck to the front of the restaurant and would be back in. Then she drove east on Mack Avenue and never returned, according to a report. 

For questions on the police blotter, email sara.eaton-martin@patch.com.