Crime & Safety

Deputy Uses Facebook to Catch Shoplifting Suspect

The following arrest information was supplied by the Livingston County Sheriff's Department. It does not indicate a conviction.

The Livingston County Sheriff's Department used Facebook to help track down and arrest a 20-year-old Highland Township man suspected of shoplifting from the in Hartland.

A deputy was able to identify the suspect on the social media website after a Walmart security officer told police the vehicle he left in was that of a former employee, a police report said. The deputy was able to match the image of the suspect among the former employee's friends with an image in a video of the suspect in the store, the report said.

The suspect — who could face one felony and one misdemeanor charge of retail fraud after police say he admitted to the thefts — was found with many of the stolen items at an apartment he shared with the former employee. The former employee, along with another man present during the arrest both denied knowing the suspect had stolen the items.

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Police say the man stole 62 items worth nearly $2,000 on Sept. 25 and returned on Sept. 27 and took an additional 15 items valued at more than $300. Among the items reported stolen ranged from Sony Play Station 3 video games to personal products, such as teeth whitening, anti-stress tablets and cologne.

Police also found goods from the in Hartland in the room of his apartment, but the man denied taking them, saying someone else had. Police have yet to confirm the theft with Meijer, a police report said.

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The case has been submitted to the Livingston County Prosecutor's Office for review.

Electronics stolen from unlocked vehicle

An iPad, iPod Nano, a wireless card and GPS worth $1,325 were reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked in a Tyrone Township driveway, according to the Livingston County Sheriff's Department.

A 41-year-old woman told police the items were stolen from her Chevrolet Avalance outside her home in the 11200 block of Tyrone Trail sometime between 10 p.m. Sept. 27 and 8 a.m. Sept. 28, a police report said.

Trailer theft reported

A 12-foot-long black Haulin enclosed trailer parked next to a garage was reported stolen from a property in Tyrone Township, according to the Livingston County Sheriff's Department.

The trailer, worth $3,800, was stolen between 11 p.m. Sept. 20 and 3 a.m. Sept. 21 from a property in the 6300 block of Bullard Road, a police report said.


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