Police Blotter: Counterfeit Bill Passed, Other Property Crimes Reported

Police Investigating Frauds

Bloomfield Township Police investigated another counterfeit bill caper at a local store last week. Officers were called to the Kmart at about 8 p.m. Oct. 6 after employees received a suspicious $50 bill, reports said.

Police determined that the bill was fake and was used by two men who had purchased a Sony PlayStation 3 video game system.

Reports indicated that an unknown person or people then tried to return the gaming system for cash at a different Kmart store, but that transaction was denied.

No further details or suspect information was available.

It is the fourth incident involving fake $50 bills used at local businesses since June. No suspects have been identified or arrested.

Fraudulent check reported

Officers are also investigating an incident involving a fraudulent check that was passed at a local bank, reports said. Police responded to the Fifth Third Bank at about 4:25 p.m. Tuesday after a man tied to cash a suspicious check. Bank employees refused, and the man fled before police arrived.

However, officers did recover some clues, including the check and the Michigan identification card the man left behind. The case remains under investigation.

Property Crimes Reported

Home invasion

Bloomfield Township Police are investigating a home invasion at a property under renovation on the township’s north side.

Officers responded to reports of a break-in Oct. 7 on the 3800 block of South Boulevard and found evidence of forced entry, reports said. Copper piping was stolen from the basement, causing an undetermined amount of damage. The theft had occurred sometime overnight, and no suspect information was available.

Larceny from a vehicle

Police reports said several hundreds of dollars in cash and clothing were stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 700 block of East Fox Hills Drive. The owner discovered that nearly $700 cash and $800 worth of clothing were missing from the vehicle Saturday morning. The vehicle had been left unlocked overnight, reports said. No suspect information was available.

Lawn-care equipment stolen

Officers with the Bloomfield Hills Department of Public Safety are investigating a larceny report involving lawn-care equipment from a private contractor working in the city. Officers responded to the 100 block of Linda Lane at about 11:45 a.m. on Oct. 5 and met a supervisor who said two Stihl FS-110 string trimmers were stolen from the back of a work truck. Each is valued at about $400. No suspect information was available.

Police are still investigating two incidents of stolen leaf blowers from work crews in the 1000 block of Country Club Drive and 100 block of Merrimac Court last month.

Authorities believe those two incidents were related.

Anyone with information about any of the above incidents is encouraged to call the department at 248-644-4200.

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