Police make arrest in package-theft cases

BERKLEY — The Berkley Public Safety Department has arrested a 23-year-old Oak Park man who investigators believe has committed multiple thefts from porches.

Police arrested Dominic Johnson Dec. 4 after officers identified him as a potential suspect.

According to Detective Lt. Andrew Hadfield, a theft occurred on Nov. 27 in the 3800 block of Cummings Avenue, near Greenfield and West 12 Mile roads, where a man was seen on camera stealing a package containing a watch off a porch. A specific vehicle, a Dodge Charger, was seen leaving the area.

A week later, on Dec. 4, an off-duty detective from another police agency saw Johnson’s vehicle and thought it might match the same one from the Nov. 27 theft and made a call to Berkley to report it.

“Officers got in the area, saw him kind of sitting without a direct reason and ended up making a traffic stop on him for a traffic violation,” Hadfield said. “After that, they found he did not have a valid driver’s license. He was also in possession of a counterfeit license. So he was arrested, and during the impound of the vehicle, they found some of the stolen merchandise from the original Nov. 27 report.”
Police also discovered that Johnson allegedly stole a package that contained a knife set off a porch on the same day as his arrest, Dec. 4, in the 2100 block of Robina Avenue, north of 11 Mile Road.

“His vehicle matched the description from an incident the week prior,” Hadfield said. “And then, when we obtained (the) other Ring video, he was wearing the same outfit driving the same car, and then later admitted to committing those thefts.”

Johnson has been charged with two counts of larceny stemming from his alleged Berkley thefts, though police said he is being interviewed for his possible involvement in similar crimes in the metro area. He also was charged with driving on a suspended license and possession of fraudulent identification.

The 44th District Court did not list an attorney for Johnson at press time. Johnson requested a court-appointed attorney.

The Berkley Public Safety Department also advised residents to take precautions to keep packages safe from thefts, such as having them shipped to a workplace or to a trusted family member or friend, to opt for delivery options that require a signature, to schedule a delivery for a time when someone is home or to choose an in-store pickup to ensure the items are secure.

“We’re up to about 10 (package thefts) in the last week that we’ve had reported to us,” Hadfield said. “Obviously, (we’re) just trying to curb that a little bit with some proactive measures and trying to get the word out to residents about careful shipping practices.”

Police stated that if people notice suspicious activity such as vehicles following delivery trucks, they should report it to the department at (248) 658-3380.