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Dive team finds body of man who allegedly stole canoe, was peeking into homes

Posted at 9:08 AM, Mar 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-08 12:15:48-05

BLOOMINGDALE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The Van Buren County Sheriff says that the county Dive Team has found the body of man who was allegedly looking into homes on Muskrat Lake Wednesday night.

The bizarre string of incidences began about 10:00 p.m. Wednesday in the 37000 block of 2nd Avenue in Bloomingdale Township. Deputies were called to the scene on reports of a prowler looking into windows.  The caller told responders that the man also tried to break into their vehicle and their garage.

Responding deputies followed footprints in the snow and found the man dressed all in black, carrying a shovel. He ran from the scene.

A short time later, another nearby resident called police saying the suspect was in their yard. When deputies arrived, they saw the man about 100 yards offshore in Muskrat Lake, holding on to a sinking canoe.  The Van Buren County Sheriff says that deputies tried to throw the man a rope and then tried to use a nearby rowboat to reach the man, but were not able to before he went under the water.  The Dive Team was not able to find the man and had to suspend the search due to weather conditions.

The man’s body was found at about Noon on Thursday. His identity has not been released.