A father and son arrested in connection with a string of larcenies in Springfield Township told police they sold stolen merchandise to support a mutual heroin addiction.
Gregory Michael Baker, 52, and Gregory Ted Baker, 18, were arraigned Friday in 52-2 District Court on nine charges of breaking and entering, larceny and receiving/concealing stolen property.
According to police reports, the thefts began when items went missing May 30 from a shed on Big Lake Road.
Other thefts occurred June 4 and June 7; on June 10, owners of a Springfield Township landscaping company reported a theft after discovering $4,500 in landscaping equipment missing after a lock was cut from a trailer.
Thieves returned to the same location on Terex the following night, and were caught on surveillance video; a tape showed two males, who were apparently scared off by an alarm.
The same men were captured on video June 12 at a nearby business.
Similar thefts continued in the following days, and on June 17 the case began to come together for police when a patrolling deputy stopped a man riding a mini bike on the northbound shoulder of Andersonville Road around 2:30 a.m.
‘Our officers did a great job bringing these guys in,? said Sgt. Tim Willis, commander of the Springfield Township substation. ‘The deputies took the time to notice some details, like the clothing this guy was wearing matched the suspects in our video, and started asking questions.?
After noting the man’s story didn’t add up, deputies took Gregory Ted Baker to the substation, where he allegedly admitted he and his father committed the crimes to support their ‘two-gram-a-day heroin addiction (one gram each).?
According to police reports, the younger Baker told investigators the merchandise they pilfered was sold immediately, either at the Dixieland Flea Market or to an individual, for drug money.
The Oakland County Fugitive Apprehension Team was notified and the elder Baker was arrested at his mother’s home on Andersonville Road, where he and the younger man were sharing a basement living space.
The elder Baker told police he was driving ahead of his son when deputies pulled the younger man over, and therefore dumped stolen merchandise in his car along the side of the road. It was gone when he took deputies back to the spot later.
The elder of the duo, who told police he and his son read The Clarkston News to ‘keep up with the B&Es in the paper,? also said he knew they would be caught; it was only a matter of time.
Bolt cutters, black Nike backpack, two screwdrivers with broken, bent tips, and a Clarkston News newspaper taken as evidence from the house.
The men also admitted to one theft in Independence Township, where landscaping equipment was stolen from the back of a trailer parked at Mel’s Grill during daylight hours, as well as another theft from a shed in Waterford’including the mini bike’the night they were arrested.
‘The lesson here is very elementary, but I can’t stress it enough,? said Willis. ‘These guys only cut one lock, everything else they took was left unlocked. They didn’t mess with dogs or floodlights; if doors were locked they moved on. People need to secure their belongings. I’m not saying it will deter every thief, but it deterred these guys.?
During an interview with police, the elder Baker said ‘he may write a book in the future to give advice on how to secure personal items.?
In his written statement, the father said the heroin use started about a year-and-a half-ago.
‘I could pay for it without much problem and then it became difficult to find money,? he wrote. ‘The last couple of months we started to take from peoples sheds and businesses. I felt bad for doing this but the drug won. We need money.?
Both men are held at Oakland County Jail on $25,000 cash surety, no 10-percent. It was unclear whether they would waive their rights to a preliminary exam.