The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying two thieves who’ve been targeting Menards and other big box stores in the tri-county area.
It’s believed the two are part of an organized ring of criminals who fill stores’ shopping carts with generators, chainsaws and lawn equipment, then push the full carts out the store without paying for the merchandise. They quickly load the stolen items in a waiting vehicle and drive away, the sheriff’s office said.
Stores in Pontiac, Belleville, Warren and Chesterfield have been hit by the crime unit, the sheriff’s office said.
In an Oct. 13 incident at the Menards store at 1901 S. Telegraph Rd. in Pontiac, an attempt to steal thousands of dollars in goods was reportedly thwarted when the pair was confronted by a store employee.
According to the sheriff’s office, store employees saw what they believed was a retail fraud in progress and contacted authorities. One suspect, a black male in his 50s with a tan-colored patch over his left eye, pushed a cart out of the store which contained a chainsaw and weed whacker. When a Menards employee confronted him, the man abandoned the cart and ran to a waiting vehicle.
A second suspect, a black male in his 50s with chin hair, was seen on surveillance video pushing a cart filled with a generator and other merchandise valued at more than $1,900 to the front of the store. He waited in the store vestibule, appearing to be nervous while looking out toward the parking lot, the sheriff’s office said.
The suspect left the store and an employee moved the cart, but the suspect returned and again pushed the cart to the front of the store while scanning the parking lot, the sheriff’s office said. When he saw the other suspect being confronted by the store employee, he left the cart and fled to a waiting vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
A little more than an hour later, two generators were stolen from a Menards in Belleville, and authorities believe the same suspects are responsible for that theft. A Menards in Warren was targeted Oct. 18, and another in Chesterfield was targeted Oct. 21 and Oct. 26, the sheriff’s office said. The suspects attempted to steal generators, electronic charging stations and clothes but left empty-handed when they believed employees caught on to their shoplifting plans, the sheriff’s office said.
“We are working closely with police from Belleville, Chesterfield Township and Warren to identify and apprehend these suspects,” Sheriff Mike Bouchard stated in a news release. “The brazen nature of these thefts – simply pushing a cart loaded with expensive merchandise out the door without paying – ultimately affects us all through higher prices for goods and services. I encourage anyone with information on these suspects to call us or their local police.”
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. Tipsters remain anonymous. To leave a tip, call 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
