DETROIT – Five people who are believed to be linked to at least 25 break-ins around Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties were arrested Wednesday after a standoff with police, officials said.
Warren police officers were monitoring a group of people around 2 a.m. Wednesday (Feb. 8) as they broke into a Family Dollar store in the 14000 block of Mack Avenue, as well as a smoke shop in Detroit, according to authorities.
“Warren PD observed them,” Deputy Detroit police Chief Tiffany Stewart said. “They had been looking at them for a number of burglaries in their location, and actually, throughout the Metro Detroit area.”
Officials believe the group is responsible for at least 25 break-ins -- primarily at smoke shops, dollar stores, and gas stations. They have targeted locations in Warren, Madison Heights, Clawson, Harper Woods, Detroit, and possibly other cities, police said.
After Warren police witnessed the two break-ins, they called the Detroit Police Department, and a helicopter tracked the group to an apartment building at Essex Avenue and Lenox Street on Detroit’s east side.
The suspects barricaded themselves inside the apartment, which is across the street from a school, according to officials. Detroit police ended the standoff around 10 a.m. and took five people into custody.
“We did come to a successful resolution,” Stewart said. “Everyone came out of the house. Everything ended peacefully and positively for the community.”
Officials said there were five children under 10 years old inside the apartment at the time of the standoff, but they are all OK.
You can watch Stewart’s full update below:
