MT. CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Former Macomb County Clerk Karen Spranger has been arrested in Warren a day after been charged with larceny in relation to a case involving a woman she was supposed to be taking care of. She was reportedly taken into custody in the area of 12 Mile and Mound.
Sources tell 7 Action News that on Thursday, the friend of a Warren police officer was at a Tim Hortons near 12 Mile and Mound Road when he saw someone who he thought was Spranger. The man contacted his friend, notifying him that Spranger appeared to be at the coffee shop.
When officers arrived, Spranger was sitting at a table at the Tim Horton's. She was arrested without incident.
An employee at the Tim Hortons told 7 Action News that Spranger had been at the location for nearly six hours with her laptop, cell phones, wearing sunglasses and a hoodie. The employee added that workers thought the former clerk looked suspicious.
Since the end of February, Warren police have been seeking charges, alleging Spranger stole money from a 78-year-old woman and assaulted her. Police said she filed a report but decided not co cooperate and didn't want to proceed with any investigation. Police were originally seeking charges for embezzlement and domestic violence.
7 Action News spoke with Spranger's alleged victim, who was reluctant to speak given what she said was a 15-year friendship with Spranger. She didn't want to say her name or show her face, but told us, “I’ve experienced enormous loss financially and materially. I don’t have any judgment or resentment. I just want her to be healthy and happy.”
According to Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith, an investigation found that between Jan. 1 and Jan. 8 of this year, the victim's ATM was used eight times and $1,660 was taken from the victim's account. Each time, Smith said that Spranger was the person taking the money out of the account.
On Wednesday Spranger was charged with larceny between $1,000 and $20,000, which is a 20-year felony.
Last month, they said they would like to talk to Spranger, but they couldn't find her. According to Smith, they still haven't been able to locate Spranger and would like to talk to her. He urged her to contact the prosecutor's office.
Originally, the victim said she just wanted Spranger out of her life, but after the investigation and seeing photos, she wanted to proceed with the prosecution.
Several of the photos of Spranger captured on bank surveillance at the ATM are below.
Spranger lost her job as clerk last year when a judge found she lied about where she lives. She will be arraigned Friday morning
