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Police Crime
Alert Community Services Section CHARLES T. CRAFTChief of
Police 500
West Big |
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Crime
Alert for period ending September 28, 2007 Altercations/Disorderly Conduct: Assaults: Troy Hilton, 5500 Crooks, 9/20, 0310 hrs. Manager reported a guest that seemed confused about what he wanted
called him at the front desk.
Complainant stated he told the guest he “was busy, but did ask how he
could help him.” He stated, “the
guest became angry, came down to the desk, jumped over the counter and began
yelling at him.” He stated the
“subject grabbed him by the throat and choked him.” He stated, “another male stepped in and broke the
altercation up.” Officers
proceeded to speak with the 42-year-old male guest from Ft. Lauderdale at his
room. He “confirmed complainant’s
account, however denied choking the complainant.” Instead, he stated he “grabbed the complainant by the
shirt and pushed him up against the wall.” He was arrested. Assist Other Department/Law Enforcement: Auto/Vehicle Thefts: Columbia Center, 201 W. Big Beaver, 9/12, 0000-0800 hrs. ’99 Ford Mustang stolen from lot. Somerset Mall Lot, 2801 W. Big Beaver, 9/21, 1600-2240 hrs. ’91 Plymouth Sundance stolen from lot. Oakland Mall Lot, 700 W. 14 Mile, 9/21, 1830-2120 hrs. ’97 Mercury Marquis stolen from lot. Square Lake and Beech, 9/24, 0757 hrs. Officer tried to stop a ’07 Ford 500 for running a red light at
Northfield and Long Lake. The
vehicle fled, but was eventually brought to a stop as it slowed behind moving
traffic and the officer was able to bring it to a stop by pushing it off the
roadway and onto a slight decline on the shoulder using the police vehicle’s
push bumpers. There was very
minor damage sustained to each car.
No injuries. The driver
was a 15-year-old female from Clawson who took her parents’ car without their
permission. She had no
license. She was arrested. Breaking and
Entries: Crash Investigations: John R near Brinston,
9/19, 1845 hrs. Complainant stated he
was “stopped on John R when struck from behind by a black ’88 Ford
Bronco.” He stated he “exited
his vehicle and approached the Bronco.”
He observed a lone male behind the wheel whom he stated “appeared
intoxicated.” As the complainant
returned to his vehicle to pull off the roadway, the Bronco took off. The complainant obtained the license
plate and investigating Troy officers responded to the 62-year-old male
registered owner’s address in Shelby Twp. Upon arriving there they observed the suspect vehicle
parked at the address, with the lights still on. A male was observed leaning against the front banister of
the residence for support as he flipped through keys on his key ring. He smelled of intoxicants. When asked about being involved in a
crash, he stated he “just bumped the guy.” He claimed to have “stopped and provided the other driver
with all his information.” He
stated he “didn’t remember where he was coming from before the crash.” He failed sobriety tests and was
arrested. He blew 0.20 on a
breath test. He was cited for”
Drunk Driving” and “Failing to Stop and Identify Himself at the Scene of a
Crash.” Rivers Edge and Hidden
Pine, 9/2, 2043 hrs. Officers responded to a
report that a white Pontiac Grand Am parked in the street had been involved
in a crash and the other car/driver fled. Officers located 54 feet of skid marks leading up to the
rear of the Grand Am. Officers
observed red or maroon paint transfer in the damaged area of the Grand
Am. While at the scene, Troy
Dispatch received a call from a citizen on Whisper Way reporting a suspicious
maroon Dodge Stratus vehicle parked in front or her residence with fresh front-end
damage. Officers proceeded to
the home of the registered owner in Troy and learned his 17-year-old son had
the car. The owner contacted his
son who arrived home shortly thereafter and admitted, “crashing into the
Grand Am.” He stated, “after the
crash he went to a friend’s house;” claiming he wasn’t sure what to do. He stated he “did plan on reporting
the crash later.” He was cited
and released for “Careless Driving” and “Leaving the Scene.” Credit, Check, Identity Theft, and other Fraud: Complainant discovered
9 fraudulent charges against his checking account made via computer and two
fraudulent checks cashed against the same account. The counterfeit checks were drawn in a different name
using his actual account information.
Total fraud: $3499.99. Suburban Motors, 1810
W. Maple, 1/17 Complainant indicated a
50-year-old female from Hazel Park paid for $165.17 in services with a check
that came back “non-sufficient funds.”
The subject has not responded to contact efforts to make the check
good. Complainant reported
receiving an automated phone call, which made a representation as being from
“Flagstar Bank.” The message
indicated the account was flagged, and requested account information. A phone number was provided to
re-activate the account. The
complainant stated he does not have and never had a Flagstar account. The investigating officer called the
number, which was automated, as well.
It asked for account information and passwords. This
system/approach is a common scam to obtain potential victims’ account
information so funds can be fraudulently withdrawn once the information is
provided. It should be
reinforced that no legitimate business will solicit this information by phone
or e-mail. Citizens should never respond to these sorts of inquiries. Restaurant manager
reported discovering an ex-employee may have used customer credit cards to
make/process fraudulent cash charges in August after processing the legitimate
sales. So far three customers
have come forward with approximately $200.00 in total fraud. Investigation continues. Saks, 2901 W. Big
Beaver, 9/21, 1441 hrs. LPO (Loss Prevention
Officer) reported a male entered the store and made a $2114.70 credit card
purchase of a wallet. Several
minutes later, he made a second credit card purchase of another wallet, this
time for $651.90. Information
was received shortly thereafter that the true cardholder had not given the
subject permission to use the card.
The subject was located by LPO’s and Mall Security jogging down Big
Beaver after he exited the mall via an emergency exit. He was detained. Responding Troy Officers arrested the
35-year-old male from New York.
Several other credit cards in other persons’ names were recovered from
the suspect. They were
identified as fraudulent, but were linked to the actual cardholder’s account
numbers. Complainant reported
being contacted by a bank inquiring about an attempt to open accounts,
including a credit account in her name.
She confirmed the attempts were fraudulent. Complainant reported
her purse was stolen in Sterling Heights. Her credit card was used for numerous fraudulent purchases
including locations in Troy. Domestics/Family Troubles: Troy Officers responded
to three incidents involving family troubles/domestic disputes where
investigation revealed no assaults or other crimes occurred, therefore no
formal enforcement action was taken Drugs/Narcotics: Rochester and Long
Lake, 9/23, 2318 hrs. Officers stopped a ’90
Toyota pickup for a traffic violation driven by a 23-year-old male from
Troy. During the stop the
19-year-old male front seat passenger from Troy was found to have a warrant
out for his arrest from another jurisdiction for which he was arrested. He was also found in possession of a
small amount of marijuana and a “bong” (device for optimizing inhaling
marijuana smoke) for which he was charged. The driver was released at the scene. Gas Station, 5991
Livernois, 9/21, 0900 hrs. Complainant reported
while paying, a male customer dropped a small baggie that turned out to
contain a small amount of marijuana.
The vehicle the male was driving registers to a 41-year-old male from
Pontiac. Drunk/Intoxicated Driving Incidents of Interest: Maple and Dequindre,
9/23, 0044 hrs. Officer stopped a ’04
Chrysler Seabring for erratic driving.
The 48-year-old male driver from Southfield stated he “was at a party
in Southfield and was driving home to Southfield.” He smelled strongly of intoxicants and his speech was
slurred. He stated he “had three
beers.” He failed sobriety tests
and was arrested. During a pat
down the officer felt something in his pocket. When asked, he stated he “didn’t know what it was.” The officer removed it and discovered
eleven small white packets wrapped with a hair type rubber band. The contents tested positive for
heroin, for which the suspect was also charged. The subject blew 0.18 on a
breath test. Crooks and Maple, 9/23,
0242 hrs. Officers responded to a
report of a man over the wheel of a maroon ’98 Ford Crown Victoria in the
intersection. Officers arrived
and located the 34-year-old male driver from Sterling Heights sleeping with
his foot on the brake, the car running and in gear. Officers woke him - he smelled of intoxicants and had
drool coming from his mouth. He
stated he “was on his way home after dropping a friend off after attending a
pajama party.” He failed
sobriety tests and was arrested.
A small amount of marijuana was found in his pants pocket for which he
was also charged. He blew 0.13
on a breath test. Embezzlements: Home Invasions: Colony, 9/19, 0730-1500
hrs. Entry made into
apartment through bathroom window.
Various areas of the apartment were gone through. A laptop computer was stolen from a
bedroom; another was stolen from the living room. A MP3 player, camera and cell phone was stolen from a
desk. Larcenies: Canmoor, 9/14-9/17,
1400-1200 hrs. Group home manager
reported one of the resident’s Rx sleeping medication was missing from a
locked closet. Business Lot, 4050
Rochester, 9/20, 2330-0000 hrs. Complainant came to the
station to report he was operating a street sweeper in the parking lot when
he stopped and left for about a half hour. When he returned to the truck, he discovered his cell
phone stolen from under the visor where it had been clipped. Nino Salvaggio’s, 6835
Rochester, 9/21, 1915 hrs. Complainant reported
leaving her purse unattended in her shopping cart. When she returned, the purse was gone. John R and Long Lake,
9/22, 0915 hrs. Complainant reported
observing the driver of a black ’95 Chevy Blazer stealing newspapers from his
route. He stated the 45-50 year
old driver either removes newspapers from bundles after he drops them at a
storefront or the subject opens a newspaper box and removes several papers at
a time. He states this has
occurred on weekends along Long Lake between Dequindre and John R. Oakland Mall, 412 W. 14
Mile, 9/20, 1234 hrs. Complainant stated she used
her debit card at an ATM at the mall and the next day discovered $300.00
missing from her account. When
she contacted her bank she was advised the withdrawal occurred a minute after
she made the first withdrawal at the same ATM. Mall Security had contacted her and advised that an
unknown person dropped her ATM card at their office the same day. She believes she mistakenly left the
card in the ATM where it was used to make the fraudulent withdrawal. Rite Aid, 3986 John R,
9/24, 1700 hrs. Manager reported two
full bags of empty returnable cans were stolen from the rear storage room in
the store, as were four bottles of wine. Larcenies from Autos: Sterling Tool and
Supply, 1395 Wheaton, 9/20, 0110 hrs. Officer on patrol
observed a suspicious occupied Pontiac Grand Prix parked behind the closed
business next to a Chevy box truck.
As the officer approached, he observed a male subject out on foot near
the dumpster. That subject fled
the area and was not located.
Inside the car, he located a 23-year-old male from Waterford who
claimed he “only knew the other subject by first name and they were at the
business to meet a subject whom he didn’t know.” There were several rechargeable battery packs inside the
vehicle. Upon checking the area where he last observed the other subject, the
officer recovered an electric power saw and flashlight from a box on the
ground next to the dumpster.
Upon checking the Chevy truck, the officer discovered both catalytic
converters missing. Eight
catalytic converters were recovered from the trunk of the Grand Prix,
including two freshly cut off the Chevy truck. The suspect from the Grand Prix was arrested. A cell phone recovered from the Grand
Prix was recovered and indicated the other suspect is a 22-year-old male from
Millingham, MI. Pic-A-Deli café, 3381
Rochester, 9/19-9/20, 1600-0700 hrs. Complainant reported
discovering the catalytic converters cut off/stolen from a ’93 Chevy Astro
van, a Dodge Caravan, and ’01 GMC Safari van parked in the lot. Drury Inn Lot, 575 W.
Big Beaver, 9/22, 0245 hrs. Rear window smashed out
of a Subaru parked in the lot and two hockey sticks stolen. Trinway, 9/24, 0400
hrs. Complainant stated he
“went outside to have a smoke when he observed a male subject walking away
from his neighbor’s Jeep Liberty that was parked in the drive.” The male proceeded to enter the
complainant’s son’s ’93 Infiniti.
As complainant approached, he observed the subject going through the
center console of the vehicle.
He tapped on the hood, and the suspect fled on foot. He was described as a W/M, early
20’s, 6’-1,” 165, shoulder length brown hair, wearing a blue hooded
sweatshirt, blue jeans and hiking boots. Nothing was taken from the vehicle. Drury Inn, 575 W. Big
Beaver, 9/21-9/22, 2300-0730 hrs. ’04 Chevy Suburban
parked in lot entered and GPS and cell phone stolen with no sign of forced
entry. Milverton, 9/21-9/2,
0800-0930 hrs. Garage door opener
stolen from unlocked Cadillac STS parked in drive. Business Lot, 2789
Rochester, 9/21-9/22, 2200-0700 hrs. Complaint reported the
Cadillac converter cut off from work truck parked in lot. Synventive, 1100
Piedmont, 9/14-9/20 Complainant reported
two catalytic converters stolen from a ’97 GMC Sierra parked in the lot. The Troy PD evidence technician who made
the arrest (above) from last weekend and recovered several sawed off
catalytic converters from the suspect in that case compared those to the
vehicle attacked in this case and concluded two were from this vehicle. Additional charges pending. Parking Lot, 575 W. Big
Beaver, 9/24, 0000-0730 hrs. ’05 Chevy Uplander had
driver’s side window smashed out and dash mounted GPS unit stolen. Malicious Destruction of Property: Woodside Trail,
9/21-9/22, 2100-1300 hrs. ’03 Toyota Camry parked
in apartment complex lot keyed. Charrington, 9/12-9/22 Complainant discovered
a small hole in the glass of the front door of the residence, as well as
several small circular dents in the garage door possibly from a pellet or BB. Minors and Alcohol: Neighbor Troubles: Raintree Park, 9/19,
1600 hrs. Cross country coach
reported a male who lives at a home that backs up to the park has been
yelling at the track team to stay away from his house and leave his dogs
alone. The coach indicated he
adjusted his training program and moved it farther away from the house in
question in an attempt to avoid trouble with the resident. He stated, “as the kids ran by today,
the resident came out and started to yell on a mega phone to get away and
stop making the dogs bark.” He
was reportedly blasting the accompanying siren on the unit while so
doing. As officers approached
the house in question from the park side, two large dogs were observed
running back and forth in a fenced area of the yard constantly barking at the
officers. The 48-year-old male
resident stated he “has a problem with the students running too close to his
yard and causing the dogs to bark.”
He stated he complained to the school administration and as a result
was under the impression the kids would not be running as close to his
yard. He “denied ever yelling at
the kids.” Officers told him the
kids could run in the park as long as they stayed in the park and didn’t
infringe on his property. He
stated for “his protection, he would start videotaping the park practices, as
well as to prove that the training is closer to the property line than what
is being represented/what he was told.” Peace Officer/Civil: Phone Calls/Harassment/Threats: Five threatening telephone call reports taken. Two
threatening telephone call reports taken. One harassment report taken. Retail Fraud: Express, 330 W. 14
Mile, 9/21, 1130-1200 hrs. Complainant reported a
male, possibly Hispanic, approximately 27-years-old, 4’-4,” 150, came into
the store and began asking her questions about the mall. After he left, she discovered 27
men’s dress shirts missing from a display table with a total value of
$1471.50. She stated she “didn’t
see who took the shirts, but suspects the male was distracting her while an
accomplice committed the theft.” Limited, 412 W. 14
Mile, 9/21, 1545 hrs. Complainant reported 24
shirts were discovered missing from a display table. Complainant reported two males and a
female were observed in the store and believed to be suspects in prior
similar thefts, however no one reported observing them selecting or
concealing merchandise. Total
stolen: $850.00. Limited Too, 428 W. 14
Mile, 9/21, 1830-1930 hrs. Complainant discovered
40 shirts missing from two display tables in the store. Total stolen: $1060.00. Robberies: Dartmoor, 9/14, 0045
hrs. A 20-year-old male
resident from Troy reported he had some friends over for a party. Apparently a girlfriend of one of his
friends called and invited four unknown males to come to the party. He stated, “after they arrived, they
became disruptive, including one of them walking in on a female while she was
using the bathroom and calling her a name when she asked him to get out, so
he asked them to leave.” One of them stated he “had a gun and apparently
threatened to use it when they were asked to leave.” One attendee at the
party told officers he saw a handgun in the rear pocket of one of the
suspects. Complainant
stated, “they all gave him trouble about leaving, but eventually did.” He stated, “a short time later he was
outside in front of his house talking on the phone when at least two of the
four males attacked him.” One
reportedly held the shaft of a screwdriver around his neck while lifting him
off the ground. After being escorted
down the street in this fashion, he was struck in the head with an unknown
object by a second subject. He
was pushed to the ground and his wallet was stolen from his pants pocket. He stated, “while this was going on
the suspects were talking about the gun, and one told the other to shoot him
with it.” He never saw the gun,
however. A two-door Saturn then
pulled up apparently occupied by the other two subjects from the group, and
the two suspects that assaulted and robbed him jumped in. Complainant later discovered
fraudulent purchases made using one of the credit cards from his wallet. Investigation continues. Suspicious Incidents: Gatwick, 9/21-9/22,
2300-0800 hrs. ’95 Ford van parked in
street had undercarriage cut exposing portions of the wiring harness with
possible attempt to steal the harness for the copper wires. A 30” piece of chrome was stolen from
the grill Traffic
Altercations: Vandalism: Weapons Offenses: Welfare Checks: Troy Officers responded
to three incidents involving individuals experiencing emotional/psychological
difficulties and assisted with transport to the hospital for
evaluation/commitment. Special Events Information: Tickets on Sale for Annual Troy Community Coalition Celebrity
Night Dinner The event will be held Thursday, October 11, 2007
at the San Marino Club in Troy.
This year’s guest celebrity is comedian John Heffron, winner of “Last
Comic Standing.” Master of
ceremonies is Dave LewAllen from WXYZ TV. The event features a silent auction. Tickets are $125.00 per person,
$90.00 of which is tax deductible.
Please contact the Troy Community Coalition at 248-823-5088 for more
information. Miscellaneous
Information: Case Updates: Arrest Summary: In addition to those outlined
above, the following arrests were also made during the period: Drunk Driving: 3 Domestic Assault: 4 Retail Fraud: 7 Drove While License
Suspended: 3 Warrants: 5 |
Events & Programs
Please click or go to
the below link for community events for the coming September 28th
– October 5th Week!
UPCOMING
EVENTS FOR THE
CITY
OF TROY IN SEPTEMBER
October 3: Troy Police
Honor Guard Spaghetti Dinner, San Marino Club, 4:30-8 pm. Tickets at
event: Adults-$7; Seniors-$6; Kids 4-11 are $4 each, and age 3 and under are
free. Family Advanced Ticket Special: $20 (for 2 adults and 2 kids). For
information and ticket orders, call Sgt. Dan Daniel at 248.524.3556 or Sgt.
Jim Clark at 248.524.3462. October 4: Research Paper Techniques, Library, 7 pm. Learn the proper steps to write a
research paper. Registration
begins Sept. 21. Grades 4th and up. FREE. October 4: “The
Petticoat Ladies,” Museum, 2 pm. Join us
for tea and the histories of some of our distinguished First Ladies. This
delightful presentation by the costumed Petticoat Ladies is enjoyable and
informative. They wear replicas of the gowns from their husbands’ inaugural
festivities and talk about their role in U.S. history and the causes for
which they fought. Register by September 28. Fee: $4 per person, group rates
available. October 4: League of
Women Voters sponsors a 2007 City Council Candidates Forum, Troy Community
Center Rooms 304-305, 7-9 pm. October 5: All About Science, Library, 10:15 or
11:15 am. Discover
the intriguing secrets of animal movement demonstrated by a guest expert.
Registration begins Sept. 21.
Ages 3-5. FREE. October 5: Technology Club, Library, 4:15-5:15
pm. Share educational fun on the Internet. Register starting Sept. 21. Ages 9+. FREE. October 6: Scout It
Out, Stage Nature Center. 9-11 am & 12-2 pm. Webelos
can complete their Forester badge at this event. Scouts receive a certificate
of completion at the end of each program. Must have adult supervision. Dress
for the weather. Fee: $7, scout leaders and adults
are free. October 6: Library Babies, Library, 11:30 am. Bring your
6-12 month old for finger plays and singing stories. Registration begins Sept. 21. FREE. October 6: Movie
Matinee, Library, 2 pm. Stop by for
films and treats. No
registration required. Ages 3+. FREE. October 6: Daddy Daughter Pool Party, Troy
Community Center Indoor Pool, 6-8 pm. Come and spend an evening full of fun with your daughter. There will be games, tubes, a picture
to remember the night and a goody bag.
Dads with more than one daughter are welcome to bring them all! Registration is limited. Daughters under 10 must have a Dad in
the water with them. No refunds
for this event. All ages
welcome. Fee: All
ages w/Dad-$10, Additional Daughter-$5. October 6 & 13: Writing
A’Field: How to Keep a Nature Journal, Stage Nature Center, 9:30-11:30
am. Whether you
are a beginner or an old-hand at journaling, this class will provide you with
new concepts, tools, and ideas to use in your notebook. Ages 15+. Fee: $10. _________________________________
The Troy Community Coalition is a
non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all
who live or work in Troy, by promoting a lifestyle free from the abuse of
alcohol and drugs. Please feel free to
contact any staff member
for additional information or contact our office at (248) 823-5088 Troy Community Coalition 4420
Livernois Rd. Troy, MI 48098 We
urge you to join us for one of our many exciting upcoming community events.
The Troy Police Department offers the
following free talks/seminars:
* Work place safety * Alcohol abuse and prevention * Safety with Strangers * Home Security Audit * Personal Security * Got Caught (Shoplifting talk for
teens) * Choose Wisely (Right choices for
teens) * Home alone (home personal safety for
teens and children) * Drug and drug paraphernalia talk for
adults and also teens * Identity Theft * Internet Safety for adults and also
teens * Harassing and Bullying Prevention for
children * Retail Fraud Prevention * In addition, if you or your
organization has a program/discussion idea or need that a police officer can
deliver please call! For more information or to
schedule an officer to present a program please call: (248) 524-3464 or e-mail the
crime alert at:
_____________________________________ Boys &
Girls Club Birthday Bash Everyone
is invited to the Boys & Girls Club of Troy Birthday Bash from 1-5 pm, on
Saturday, September 29. “It’s a
family-fun celebration of our 30 years of successful Youth Development,”
explains Mary Kerwin, Special Event Director. The
Birthday Bash will feature an incredible, inflatable obstacle course
for all ages, martial
arts demonstrations, face-painting, balloon animals, Dudley the Clown, Bingo,
basketball, and a variety of games; along with entertainment, refreshments
and a commemorative wrist bracelet for all attendees. “This
is our way of thanking the community for their support,” says Steve Toth,
Executive Director. “We hope to
see our donors, former B&GCT board members and staff, alumni Club members
and, of course, our current members and their families.” The
Boys & Girls Club is located at 3670 John R in Troy. For more information, call
248.689.1687 or visit www.bgctroy.org
_____________________________________
Whether you need Click here to view the Troy Chamber's new
eNewsletter geared toward residents. Included you will find everything from
discount offers on pizzas to gym memberships and upcoming events presented by
Troy Chamber member businesses. To sign-up to receive it automatically on a
bi-monthly basis, please e-mail: deb@troychamber.com or call 248.641.1606.
“Choose Troy ,” a Troy Chamber-sponsored
program, encourages residents to think about doing business
Click here for more information Crime Prevention Tips
Fraud Prevention:
Ø Remember that nothing that is worth
anything is free. Ø If someone that you do not know offers to
do you a favor, they probably have an ulterior motive. Ø Never give any personal information out to
an unknown source over the phone or Internet. (If someone
asks for personal information, ask to speak to his or her supervisor and
inform him or her you will be calling the Police to make a fraud report.) No reputable business will call you or email you for this
information!!! Ø If you receive a phone call or email
telling you that you have won something that you did not apply for, it is
more than likely a fraud. Ø No legitimate organization will ask for any
money or a Credit Card number in order to claim a prize Ø Protect yourself against identity theft by
shredding all documents and safe guarding your account numbers, social
security numbers and credit card numbers. Ø Always maintain your credit cards and
secure the credit card numbers. Ø If you suspect that you have been the
victim of credit fraud, call your credit card company and have them run a
query of your charges. Ø Never give your bank account
numbers over the phone. Especially if unsolicited! Identity theft continues to be
the fastest growing crime in the world, and the city of Troy is no exception.
We continually get reports of identity theft and fraud on a regular basis.
While it may not be totally avoidable,
detecting the early signs of identity theft is one of the best ways to avoid
extensive losses and damage to your credit history. If your wallet/purse etc. gets stolen,
cancel all stolen credit and ATM cards immediately. Checking your credit history regularly is
a great way to keep appraised on the status of your credit. Here are three sources for checking your
credit history: (The
titles are links to the webpages) 1-800-525-6282 1-888-397-3742 1-800-680-7289 Vandalism Prevention
The best way to protect yourself from this crime, or from being held
financially responsible for the acts of your kids, is to know where your
children are, what they are doing, and whom their friends are. Kids are very tech-savvy, and use the
latest means to communicate. We
have had numerous cases where middle and high-school aged kids have made
clandestine plans using their home computer and instant-messaging programs
(AIM, Yahoo Messenger, etc.) to communicate with their friends, unbeknownst
to their parents (no phones ringing in the middle of the night.) They sneak out of the house and meet
up to go and commit all sorts of crimes. This is not only illegal, but it is very dangerous. ·
Talk with your kids and encourage
them to tell you about any problems with other kids. ·
Monitor your child’s instant
messages. ·
Don’t put computers with Internet
access in their bedrooms. ·
Lock the doors to the house and set
alarms when you go to bed. ·
Make a habit of checking on the
kids, no matter what age, in the middle of the night, just to make sure they
are where they are supposed to be (especially when hosting sleepovers.) Let them know that you are checking. ·
Check your vehicles for new damage
or signs of being involved in vandalism - Mud on tires or wheel-wells,
baseball bats with gouges or glass in them, egg cartons, knives or other
sharp objects that are out of place in a car, cans of spray paint or shaving
cream (yes shaving cream and eggs damage paint.) If you
suspect that your kids have been out vandalizing property, or committing any
other crimes, you can contact the Police Department Juvenile Unit, or Troy
Youth Assistance for advice. Juvenile Unit – 248-524-3451 Youth
Assistance - 248-823-5095 | ||
