MICHIGAN COMPUTER STOLEN FROM BUSINESS Monroenews.com - Informing Monroe County, Michigan, for more than 180 years:

Suspect arrested
in crime spree

By: Ray Kisonas story updated January 08. 2007 11:35AM

Two ex-cons are suspected in a burglary crime spree in northern Monroe County Sunday night and sheriff's deputies, with the help of tracking dogs, said they arrested one of the suspects.

Three businesses were entered and the front glass door of one, a gas station, was rammed with a stolen Jeep. The man still being sought allegedly fled the area with a stolen pickup. His alleged partner was caught covered in mud walking along Telegraph Rd. in Flat Rock.

Monroe County sheriff's Detective Dave Davison said the men are ex-cons from Lincoln Park with a criminal history. A 42-year-old suspect is in jail.

The incident began about 11:30 p.m. when the burglars entered Remerica Country Homes Realtors on N. Telegraph Rd. near Will Carleton Rd. Some computer equipment was stolen.

A Marathon gas station near Newburg Rd. was damaged where a Jeep was driven into the front door, shattering it. Lt. Troy Goodnough said the Jeep wasstolen from Oakland University in Rochester.

The Jeep ended up getting stuck in a ditch and the suspects allegedly made their way to Howard's Nursery across the street from the gas station. Deputies said generators and tools werestolen from buildings.

Also stolen from the nursery was a 2000 Ford F-250. However, just one of the suspects fled in the truck. The other apparently began walking north along Telegraph.

Tracking dogs from the Michigan State Police of the Monroe post and the sheriff's office followed a scent that led north. Flat Rock police took the burglary suspect into custody and a dog followed the track right to where the man was being held, Detective Davison said.

Meanwhile Lincoln Park police were called to house in that city on a disturbance. The second suspect was at that house, ran out the back door and escaped. The F-250stolen from the nursery was recovered at the Lincoln Park house.

Detective Davison said a stolen laptop computer has been recovered. He said evidence also had been recovered off the captured suspect, who remains lodged in the county jail.

The other suspect remains free, but police believe he is a 38-year-old Lincoln Park resident.