Tag Archives: arrest

Kent County Sheriff arrest seven connected purse snatchings, thefts

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Hard News, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor

A police car and detective’s vehicle was hit by the suspect’s car as they tried to leave the scene. (Courtesy, Kent County Sheriff’s Office)

The Kent County Sheriff’s Department announced it had arrested seven individuals suspected to be involved in a series of purse snatchings in the Greater Grand Rapids area.

Just after 2 a.m. this morning a Kent County Sheriff sergeant on patrol in the area of 28th Street and 1-96 located a stolen vehicle, a Jeep, that had its to a recent purse snatching in Kent County. The Jeep was later located at a nearby hotel.

As more deputies arrived long with a KCSO detective assigned to the Metro Pattern Crimes Task Force (MPACT), units started to move in on the vehicle. The Jeep attempted to flee the parking space and struck a detective’s vehicle and a police cruiser.

Five people in the Jeep were taken into custody. As the investigation unfolded, two additional people in a hotel room were arrested along with other stolen property located. Stolen purses from recent thefts, a stolen handgun, and stolen merchandise were among some of the items recovered. All seven suspects have been arrested: a 19- and 16-year-old female from Grand Rapids, a 17-year-old and two 16-year-old males from Grand Rapids, an 18-year-old male from Plainfield Township, and a 17-year-old male from Gaines Township.

Sgt. Eric Brunner, the public information officer for the Kent County Sheriff’s, said the department is working with local law enforcement agencies to determine if the group may be related to other purse snatchings adding that the department does believe “they will find that there more involved than just these people.”

Wyoming Department of Public Safety public information officer Lt. Andrew Koeller said he was not certain if these individuals were directly related to any of the purse snatching cases in the Wyoming area. He said Wyoming detectives continue to the Wyoming cases.

The case has been sent to the prosecutor’s officer for review of charges to the stolen care, firearm, and stolen property.

Police blog: Wyoming makes arrest, Kentwood investigates shooting

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Hard News, , , ,

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

Courtesy of Wyoming Department of Public Safety

The Wyoming Department of Public safety announced last week that suspect Yenly Garcia was found in Mexico and taken into custody.

Wyoming Police Detectives have been investigating the homicide of Mollie Schmidt since Aug. 30, 2022. The murder took place in the 1500 block of 44th Street SW inside an apartment belong to Garcia. On Sept. 2, 2022, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office authorized an open murder warrant for Garcia associated with the incident.

Earlier this week, Garcia was taken into custody in central Mexico, north of Mexico City. He was arrested through cooperation between Wyoming Police, the United Marshals Service and Mexican authorities. Further details of his arrest are not available a this time. Extradition processes are being exorcized to return Garcia to Michigan to face his changes.

Anyone with further information on this incident is asked to contact the Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-774-2345 or to visit www.silentobserver.org

Kentwood investigates shooting

The Kentwood Police Department wants you to keep cool this summer, and one was is to avoid crime and confrontations.

On Sept. 9, 2022, officers of the Kentwood Police Department were dispatched to the area of Kelekent Avenue and 56th Street for a possible shooting that occurred. One subject showed up  to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound which is believed to be related to this incident. Three subjects were taken into custody during this investigation for charges related to this investigation and outstanding warrants.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the Kentwood Police Department Detectives Bureau at 616-656-6604 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-774-2345 or to visit www.silentobserver.org.

No charges in Burger King incident

Kent CountyProsecutor Chris Becker announced today that he would not be filing charges in the alleged Sept. 4, 2022 assault that occurred at the Wyoming Burger King located at 1313 28th St. SW.

According to a Sept. 4 report from Wyoming Department of Public Safety, a disorderly male customer who was unhappy with his service entered the store and climbed over the counter. He acted aggressively toward staff and assaulted two juvenile employees of the business during the incident before leaving.

Upon further investigation, Becker said that while he finds the suspect’s behavior “abhorrent,” the actions of the Burger King employees was “aggressive and that there is blame on both sides for the incident.

“By no means am I condoning (the person’s) behavior,” Becker said. “This could have been avoided if he would have simply just driven away after not getting the service that he wanted at this Burger King, but he didn’t do so and we have to deal with the facts as they are and there’s just not a basis to file charges for this incident.”

The suspect, who came through the drive thru, was unhappy about the soda coming down the side of his cup. Security footage, which was shown at press conference held last week, shows an employee wiping down a cup and returning it to the suspect who knocks it out of the employee’s hand. It then shows the suspect driving around and coming into the restaurant, jumping the counter, and grabbing a cup. He then went to the soda fountain pour a drink and poured soda on the floor. An employee then threw an ice-coffee at the suspect, who confronted the employee.

From there things escalated with Becker noting that as the suspect left the premises employees pursued him with one appearing to do a flying kick out the door.

Becker said because there was a fight with both sides being aggressive, there’s not enough evidence to charge the suspect with aggravated assault.

Wyoming police arrests arson suspect for Destiny Dental fire

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Hard News, , , ,

Wyoming Public Safety Department blocks off northbound Byron Center Avenue at 52nd Street.The Wyoming Department of Public Safety announced today that it was able to make an arrest for the Sept. 17 Destiny Dental fire.

 

On Sept. 17, around 7:50 a.m., the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the report of suspected arson at Destiny Dental, 1124 28th St. SW. Witnesses stated that a white male, described as in his 30s, stocky build, short dark hair, broke out the front door window and threw a Molotov cocktail inside. t
The fire was extinguished quickly and caused minimal damage to the business. The business was closed at the time of the the incident so there were no injuries.

 

The Public Safety Department’s arson investigator was able to develop a lead and has received a signed felony warrant from the prosecutor’s office for Third Degree Arson, a 10-year felony, and Habitual Offender — Third Offense in the case, according to a press release by the Department. The suspect is a 30-year-old male from Gowen, Michigan. The suspect’s name is being withheld at this time as he has not been arraigned in the Wyoming 62A District Court. The suspect is currently being held in the Montcalm County Jail on Arson and Stalking charges stemming from an investigation in Montcalm County by the Michigan State Police.

 

Wyoming Public Safety personnel continue with its investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.