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6 suspects wanted in string of Roosevelt Park thefts

Posted at 9:41 PM, Apr 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-23 21:41:49-04

ROOSEVELT PARK, Mich.— A recent string of thefts in Muskegon County has some residents on edge. A few people have managed to get footage and photos of the suspects, but so far no arrests have been made.

Roosevelt Park Police Chief David Boone tells FOX 17 his department has had about six reports of thefts or attempted thefts from vehicles.

Boone says he believes there are six suspects, thanks to surveillance footage and photos captured by residents of three young white men and three young black men. Boone says it’s unclear if the suspects are working together, though they are believed to have committed the crimes around the same time.

Boone tells FOX 17 that everyone should keep their vehicles locked and not leave out any valuable property. However, some residents say an increased police presence is what will stop the spike in crime.

“It used to be a lovely community; it’s only one square mile,” Florence Shriver, who has lived in Roosevelt Park for 47 years, tells FOX 17.

(Editors Note: In an earlier version, Ms. Shriver said there had been “killings” in Roosevelt Park. The Assistant Mayor tells FOX 17 that is not true.)

Shriver stays in close touch with her neighbors and is usually the first to know when something is wrong.

“I just talked to the lady that had her car broken and she said eight houses on the street were all broken into,” Shriver says.

The recent string of thefts has Shriver and her neighbors keeping an eye out for each other.

“I lock everything up,” Shriver says. “My doors, my car, everything. My car’s in the garage and it’s locked up but there’s a lot of people that don’t lock up their cars. They park them on the street or leave them in their driveway and they don’t lock them and they get robbed.”

Boone tells FOX 17 that the increase in crime is somewhat expected.

“We get these throughout the year but this time of year they begin to increase,” Boone says.

According to Boone, some of the victims of theft have waited to contact police until the next morning. He says that limits how much police can do to identify the suspects.

Shriver argues what her neighbors need most is a more frequent police presence.

“It was a nice place but we don’t have police,” Shriver says. “I don’t see any police officers. I could sit here all day long and never see a police officer drive down. You could get robbed, they wouldn’t know it.”

One family, who says they’ve been the victims of multiple thefts and vandalisms, asked to remain anonymous out of fear for their personal safety. They recall one instance when they say their home was broken into and wish police would have done more to catch the thief.

“It’s just not safe to be there anymore. The deadbolt was pried open. The house was secure,” they say. “The house was clearly broken into and not a fingerprint was taken.”

Boone says he encourages anyone who sees something suspicious to call 911. He says the department has recovered some of the stolen items but have not identified all of the owners of the property. If you believe something was stolen from you, contact the Roosevelt Park Police Department.

If you know anything about the break-ins, you can also call Silent Observer at 231-72-CRIME.