Police Files: March 6, 2019

Credit card caper

A student received a call from her bank stating her card had been used and denied on March 3, 2018. The student checked her wallet and noticed $200 and her credit card were missing. The student said she arrived on campus at 7:15 a.m. and was walking in and out of a classroom in Elliott Hall where she left her purse, coat and backpack behind a wooden desk.

She knew of only three individuals that were going in and out of the room besides herself, and she believed the room was locked before attending a meeting in another room in Elliott for two hours. The credit card was cancelled in response to multiple charges.

After a month of investigation, the Oakland University Police Department found evidence of the card being used at a local Shoe Carnival in Auburn Hills. On April 2, 2018, the store provided OUPD with enough information to better check the cameras in Elliott Hall, including the fact that the subject has a partial tattoo showing on the right arm.

Video camera footage of Elliott Hall from March 3 revealed a man walking into the area of the room of interest. The man walked behind a large metal area that led to the room, then left the area shortly after with what appeared to be a card in his hand. It looked like he was putting it into his wallet.

The man was identified as a frequent shoplifter of Great Lakes Crossing and was recognized by a Nightwatch worker in Hill House who had not allowed him to sign in. OUPD issued a warrant for his arrest, and the suspect was arrested in Pontiac and later arraigned on the OUPD warrant on Oct. 26, 2018.