A 17-year-old Brandon Township man has been charged in connection with a string of thefts from vehicles in the area.
Shawn Donald Dinsmore was arraigned Jan. 11 in front of 52-2 District Court Magistrate Holtz on a charge of larceny from an automobile. He was released on a $25,000 personal bond.
According to police reports, a Brandon deputy responded to the 2800 block of Sashabaw Road at about 8:50 p.m., Jan. 10 after a homeowner there noticed footprints in fresh snow leading to two of his vehicles, as well as other vehicles in the neighborhood. The deputy followed the tracks and saw two individuals, about 500 feet apart, walking south on Sashabaw Road. One was identified as Dinsmore, who said he was coming from a friend’s house. The other subject was a 16-year-old who said he and his friend were out for a walk, but then admitted they were out trying door handles.
The pair had discussed stealing things and began trying car doors in a subdivision across the street from the Sashabaw Meadows Mobile Home Park, opening several vehicles before continuing north on Sashabaw Road to another subdivision on the east side, south of Seymour Lake Road. They gained access to multiple vehicles there, taking money, then continued north on Sashabaw Road to Ramsey Road, where they continued opening doors. Besides change, they also took snowmobile goggles, a knife and a DVD player they stashed in a mailbox. Dinsmore said they stopped after realizing what they were doing was wrong and were heading back home when the deputy stopped them.
Dinsmore admitted stealing from vehicles in the mobile home park on two other occasions, taking change, lighters, a handheld video game system and games, and cell phone chargers. The 16-year-old suspect admitted stealing cameras, GPS navigation systems and iPods and selling them at a flea market in Waterford.
A juvenile petition has been submitted to probate court for the minor and the pair turned in to the police several items previously stolen.