Police Blotter: Lotto Tickets Stolen From Gas Station; Porta-Potty Arson; Plants Uprooted, Stolen

Bloomfield Township

Lottery tickets taken from same gas station

The manager of the Mobil station at 1501 Opdyke Rd. called police after discovering that 65 lottery tickets valued at $130 were missing from the counter on June 10, police reports said.

The manager said a man pulled the lottery tickets from a display by the counter when the attendant was distracted. Surveillance video shows the suspect appears to be in his 30s and wore a gray University of Michigan sweatshirt, reports said.

It was the second time police responded to the station for retail fraud of lottery tickets since the end of May. Officers were called there shortly after a clerk reported scores of lottery tickets missing on May 31, a report said. The clerk told police a man and woman entered the station about 1:15 p.m. and took $310 worth of lottery tickets on display.

They were  seen leaving in a gray van. No further descriptions were immediately available. Both incidents were reported to the state lottery commission, which voided the tickets.

Porta-Potty arson sparks joint investigation

Bloomfield Township police and fire department officials are investigating the arson of a Porta-Potty in the yard of a home under construction in the 3000 block of Valley Hill Road, reports said.

The fire was reported at about 11 p.m. on June 9. There were no injuries and no damage estimates were available. A man wearing shorts and a baseball cap was seen running in the vicinity of the fire by firefighters responding to the scene, reports said. A more details description was not available.

Home invasion

A home in the 6000 block of Adams Road was burglarized on June 15, police said. Officers were dispatched for an alarm at about 2:20 p.m. and saw that a side door to the home was kicked in. Assorted jewelry was reported stolen.  The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department air unit and a K-9 team from the Troy Police Department assisted during the initial phase of the investigation. No further details were available.

Bloomfield Hills

Door-to-door peddler lacked a permit – but had arrest warrant

When selling anything door-to-door in Bloomfield Hills, you’ll want a permit from city hall, not arrest warrants from multiple communities. One Dearborn man found that out the hard way last week after he was arrested in the 200 block of Huntingwood Lane.

Officers responded to a call about an unauthorized solicitor and found the man attempting to sell books and magazines door-to-door at about 8:30 p.m. on June 11. He did not have a permit, according to reports, but did have two arrest warrants for traffic incidents in Dearborn and Beverly Hills. Officers took him to the station and he contacted someone to post $500 bond for the Dearborn warrant. He was then turned over to the Beverly Hills Police Department for their warrant.

Plants uprooted and taken from home under construction, again

Thieves with a particular penchant for particular plants struck a Bloomfield Hills home under construction this week for the second time within a few months.

Officers responded to the home on Bridgeview for a larceny complaint at about 8 a.m. on June 14, reports said. The developer said eight plants collectively worth more than $300 were taken from the site sometime overninght. The plants were placed near a gate and were reportedly in the ground.

The developer said they were replacement plants for a similar amount that were taken recently. Extra patrols were requested.

Also in the weekly reports:

• A resident in the 39000 block of Woodward Avenue reported an antique lamp was removed from a decorative wall outside the home. The lamp is reportedly worth $30,000. The homeowner reported it missing on June 11, but could not provide officers with details about when the theft may have occurred or when the lamp was even last seen.

• Police are investigating an embezzlement claim filed by a Bloomfield Hills man against a former business partner, reports said. Officers responded to the 39000 block of Woodward Avenue about 11 a.m. on June 10 and took a report from a man who said his former partner was let go by the company and that he allegedly defrauded them of more than $50,000. Further details were unavailable.

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