Thieves have been busy in the Clarkston area lately, stealing anything not bolted down from vehicles locked and unlocked.
‘Anything they see, they try to get,? said Detective Sgt. Matt Baldes, Oakland County Sheriff’s Independence Township Substation. ‘It’s not specific to Independence Township ? every comnunity has this issue.?
Thieves look for items in plain sight, such as laptops, purses, cell phones, GPS units and/or their holders, tools, backpacks, and briefcases. Also, with summer here, people are doing yard work and forgetting to close their garage doors, Baldes said.
‘The biggest thing people can do is to lock their doors and keep valuables in the home ? don’t leave anything in your car you don’t want to get stolen,? he said. ‘Be diligent, talk to your neighbors, look out for each other.?
Incidents include an SUV’s rear window broken in the 7000 block of Andersonville Road, May 26.
On May 29, a radio was reported taken from a car through a broken-out front window in the 7000 block of Scenic Ridge Drive, and someone broke the front windshield of a car parked in the 5000 block of N. Marshbank.
Incidents reported on May 30 include a bicycle taken from a garage in the 8000 block of Center Circle Drive, two toolboxes taken from the open bed of a pickup truck in the 4000 block of Clearview Drive, and someone cutting a steel cable and taking a bike from a carport in the 4000 block of Fox Creek.
Cases on May 31 include a front passenger window broken in the 5000 block of Woodcreek Trail; truck’s driver’s side window broken, 5000 block of Fox Chase Lane; front passenger window broken on a car parked in a driveway in the 5000 block of Pheasant Run Road, backpack stolen; backpack taken from a car parked in the 5000 block of Fox Creek Lane, driver’s door window broken out; front passenger window broken out of an SUV in the 5000 block of Pheasant Run Road; bag taken from an SUV, front passenger window broken, 5000 block of Woodcreek Trail; purse from an unlocked vehicle in the 5000 block of Woodcreek Trail; passenger window broken in 5000 block of Wood Creek Trail and purse taken; and a truck’s front passenger window broken, 5000 block of Old Cove Road.
Someone broke out the driver’s side window of a car parked in the 5000 block of Winell Street, June 1.
In some of these cases, residents heard noises and called police. Deputies searched the area but found no suspects. Call 911 if you see a crime in progress. To report something suspicious, call Oakland County Sheriff’s dispatch at 248-858-4911.
‘Call anytime,? Baldes said. ‘If you see a group of kids or something, give us a yell. Deputies are on patrol ? it’s no problem to drive over and check it out.?
? Phil Custodio