Stranger Danger and Backseat Brawl

Here are highlights from Royal Oak Police reports through Friday:

Stranger danger
A father reported to police Monday that a man driving a white work van approached his children while they were playing at at Alexander and Farnum. According to police, “the man asked the children what street they lived on and offered them a toy helicopter.” The suspect is described by police as a white male, 45-50 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, with black/gray hair and hairy arms. 

Backseat brawl
A man reported April 23 that when he and a friend entered his unlocked car parked at Fifth and Center streets, he looked in his review mirror and saw a stranger sitting in the backseat. According to police, the man in the back seat immediately punched the car owner in the back of the head, and a struggle began. The car owner held on to the suspect until police arrived. Police said the suspect was arrested for breaking and entering of an automobile and assault and battery.

Multicity chase
A police officer stopped a driver for speeding Wednesday in the parking lot at 12 Mile and Campbell roads when the driver sped off as the officer approached the vehicle. According to police, the officer attempted to catch up to the fleeing vehicle on eastbound 12 Mile Road. Then the suspect entered Interstate 75 and exited at 11 Mile Road. According to police, a Madison Heights police officer spotted the vehicle and was able to stop the driver near his Madison Heights home. The driver was arrested on charges of fleeing and eluding, Operating While Intoxicated  III and Driving While License Suspended II.

Armed and out cold
Police were dispatched Wednesday to the 2300 block of East 11 Mile Road on reports of an abandoned vehicle. When officers arrived, they found an intoxicated man sleeping inside with a handgun on the floorboard, the report said. According to police, the man, who had a valid concealed pistol license, was ticketed for possession of a firearm while under the influence of liquor, and the gun was confiscated.

Breaking and entering
On Tuesday, a complainant reported that he saw a male attempting to crawl through the window of a home located in the 100 block of South Maple. When police arrived, they found a man inside the home. According to police, the house was vacant, and the suspect was the son of the former renter. The suspect was arrested on a charge of unlawful entry.

Home invasions reported
A man living in the 1100 block of Whitcomb reported April 21 that an unknown suspect entered his residence through an unlocked bathroom window and stole a 42-inch plasma television. The same day, another man told police he was trying to rent out a room in his home located in the 1400 block of Hartrick when he believes the prospective tenant unlocked the back door while touring the house. According to police, the man said someone later that day entered through an unlocked back door, which the homeowner said is always locked and never used. According to police, six custom car tires were taken.

Stolen computer
A man reported that while he was away from his home in the 3200 block of Prairie on Monday, an unknown suspect forced his way into the home and stole a laptop computer and computer bag, police said.

Missing handguns
On April 23, a complainant reported that someone had entered his home in the 600 block of Lincoln and had stolen two handguns. According to police, there were no signs of forced entry.

Rings taken from automobile
A woman reported to police that after she valet-parked her car Tuesday at , she found that three rings were missing from the center console of her car, including her wedding ring, police said.

Caught on tape
On Wednesday, a man reported to police that two unidentified males had entered his unlocked car parked in the 900 block of North Pleasant and had stolen change. According to police, the man has a home security camera on his house, and it recorded images of the males opening his car doors at 2:30 a.m.

If you have any information about any of these incidents, call Royal Oak Police at 248-246-3500.