FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Police have arrested a 17-year-old suspect connected to 35 auto larcenies that plagued a Farmington Hills neighborhood over the past week.
Watch Evan Sery's video report:
The teen from Novi would ride his bike late at night to the area near 12 Mile and Drake Road, targeting unlocked vehicles in the dark residential streets, according to Farmington Hills Police Captain Domenic Lauria.
"There's quite a few homes, it's very dark, most of the area is not lit, and we believe that's why he chose that area," Lauria said.
The suspect wasn't using sophisticated methods — he simply looked for unlocked car doors and took whatever valuable items he could find, including designer sunglasses, cologne, and phone chargers.
"Any door he found unlocked, he would go through the door and try to find anything he wanted to steal," Lauria said.
The frequency of thefts prompted police to increase patrols in the neighborhood. Early Monday morning, officers spotted the teen and deployed drones with thermal imaging to track him down.
WEB EXTRA: Nightvision drone footage helps track suspect
"It's absolute pitch black, the suspect takes off running at that point," Lauria said.
Residents like Dan Harris weren't surprised by the arrest.
"My honest opinion, some dumb kid who shouldn't be breaking into people's cars," Harris said.
Harris said his wife's car was broken into a few weeks ago, though nothing was taken. Neighbor Michael Laura's vehicle was untouched, but he wasn't taking any chances.
"I grew up in Detroit in the 1980s, where you lock everything," Laura said.
Police are reminding residents to take basic precautions to prevent future thefts.
"First and foremost, don't leave anything valuable in your car, and next, when you go to sleep at night, make sure your car is locked," Lauria said.
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