Farmington Hills

Police investigate occupied apartment break-ins

By David Wallace
C & G Staff Writer

Police are investigating numerous break-ins that occurred in occupied apartments July 7.

Two incidents occurred at Windemere Apartments, near Halstead and Grand River, and two in the neighboring Independence Green Apartments, all during the early morning, within a short period of time of each other.

“We’re thinking within a couple of hours,” said Farmington Hills Police Cmdr. Matt Koehn.

The Farmington Hills investigation is ongoing, and there has been a potentially significant development.

“There was a police department in the area who arrested a subject who was in the process of committing a similar home invasion,” said Koehn.

Police from the other department found that the suspect was in possession of some property stolen in the Independence Green burglaries, Koehn said.

Because the other department’s investigation is ongoing and the suspect has not been arraigned on any charges, Koehn did not want to divulge more about the department or the suspect.

Over the weekend, Farmington Hills police sent out a press release about a home invasion at the Windemere Apartments. The burglar had cut a screen and entered through an unlocked sliding door, Koehn said.

“This guy seemed pretty aggressive,” Koehn said.

A woman in her 60s woke up to find the burglar on top of her. Whether an assault occurred was hard to say, Koehn said.

“She screamed and he fled,” Koehn said.

“That’s very unusual,” Koehn said of burglarizing a residence while the occupant is home.

Later, police confirmed that two occupied home invasions had occurred at Independence Green, and that there had been an attempt at another in Windemere, but the door was locked, denying the burglar entry.

Police described the burglar in the Windemere home invasion as a black man in his early 30s, with a medium build. He wore all black clothing, including a knit hat.

Two other burglaries of occupied homes were reported June 15 in the same area, on Washington Court. In those incidents, a suspect cut a screen and opened a screen to gain access, stealing wallets and other items.

Koehn said that in the more recent burglaries, the suspect took purses, credit cards and identification.

Anyone with information should call Farmington Hills police at (248) 871-2610.

Police remind people to secure their doors and windows when possible, regardless of whether they are at home, and to call police to report suspicious activity.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer David Wallace at dwallace@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1053.