Police Blotter: Retail Frauds and a Stolen Handgun

Bloomfield Township

Bloomfield Township police are investigating two separate incidents of retail fraud reported in the past week.

• The first incident occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 8 at the Target. Store security officers witnessed a shopper place women's clothing into her purse and leave the store without paying. She was stopped outside and detained by security as police were called. Officer arrested the 57-year-old Bloomfield Hills resident and transported her to the station for booking. She was released pending formal charges for retail fraud.
• The second incident was reported by store security at the Rite Aid shortly after 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 13, police said. A man and a woman entered the store at about 12:35 p.m. and headed directly to the nutritional supplements aisle. Security officers reported seeing the men place some bottles of supplements into a purse and try to leave. When confronted near the door, one suspect threw the supplement bottles at the guard and they both ran off. The suspects were described as black, heavy set, and each about 35 years old. The fled south into an older model, white pickup truck.

Breaking and entering

Residents of a home in the 3600 block of Halla Lane reported a burglary upon returning to the township on Feb. 10, police report said. The homeowners said the home was empty since Dec. 26 while they were away. They said cash and silver flatware was taken. No suspect information was available.

Larceny from auto

Two members of the Bally's Total Fitness reported their cars were broken into while they worked out on Feb. 9, police reports said. In each incident the front windows were smashed out and purses containing credit cards, cash, jewelry, and personal identifications were taken. No suspect information was available.

Anyone with information about these incidents is encouraged to call the department’s investigations division at 248-433-7752.

Bloomfield Hills

An officer with the Bloomfield Hills Department of Public Safety responded to the station to take a larceny report from a man who stayed at the Kingsley Radisson last Saturday evening, police reports said. The man said he stayed at the hotel the prior week and believes a handgun was stolen from his suitcase. The man said he left the .38-calibur Ruger handgun in his suitcase when he would leave his room. He also said he believes the crime occurred sometime after Feb. 8. The investigation remains open.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the department at 248-644-4200.

For questions about this blotter, email Art.Aisner@Patch.com.