Crime & Safety

Troy Teen Headed to Pretrial Hearing for Allegedly Threatening to Blow Up Bloomfield Hills Home

A dispute over $100 has put 17-year-old Robert Rink on track for trial in Oakland County Circuit Court.

A Troy teenager charged as an adult with extortion made a brief court appearance Wednesday and may face trial this fall, court records show.

Robert John Rink, 17, was arraigned in Oakland County Circuit before Circuit Judge Daniel O’Brien on one count of extortion after formally waiving his right to a preliminary hearing in 48th District Court the previous week, records show. He remains free after posting $10,000 bond.

Extortion is defined as the act or practice of taking or attempting to take money, personal property or services from others through coercion.

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Bloomfield Hills Police said they arrested Rink outside a home in the 1000 block of Hammond Court shortly after 12:30 p.m. May 29. The homeowner called police after Rink allegedly knocked on the door for the second consecutive day to collect a $100 debt from the homeowner's son, a police report said. He threatened to blow up the house before leaving if she didn't pay, the report said.

Officers found Rink in a vehicle parked outside the home and arrested him upon discovering cigarettes in the vehicle because he is underage. They also found multiple containers of lighter fluid, the report said.

Upon further questioning, Rink initially said he was robbed by the homeowner's son of the $100 at knife-point in a Troy park but said he had not reported it, the police report said. Rink later recanted that story to Troy Police, who interviewed him at the , the report said.

Rink has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Jeffrey Van Loon, Rink's attorney, did not return messages seeking comment.

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A pretrial hearing is set for July 18.


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