Handyman Linked to 7 Home Burglaries in Grosse Pointe Farms

The window washer Grosse Pointe Farms police were looking for last weekend is being held pending formal charges. He is connected to at least seven home burglaries, Lt. Richard Rosati said Thursday. 

The 45-year-old man lives in Detroit but has been offering his handyman and window washing services in the Pointes for some time, Rosati said. 

He first became a suspect in home burglaries in the Farms last summer when police found a bucket in the garage of one home with paperwork that included his name, Rosati said. 

The rash of burglaries came to a halt shortly after that, which is when detectives discovered the man was in police custody elsewhere. The burglaries picked up again late this spring, including the most recent crime on Barclay May xxx. When detectives looked into the man, it was discovered he had been released from prison shortly before the first crime this spring, Rosati said.

Last weekend, Grosse Pointe Farms police issued a community alert asking residents to call 911 if he was spotted in the community. The man found out police were looking for him through news media and called Rosati. The man then agreed to come in for an interview but failed to show up, Rosati said. 

Rosati said there is a great deal of evidence linking him to seven burglaries dating back to last summer. The evidence includes pawn shop receipts for some of the items stolen from homes, DNA from a door jamb, possession of some of the stolen items and most recently, a fingerprint on a jewelry box that detectives just received confirmation for on Wednesday, Rosati said. 

After he failed to show up to be interviewed, Rosati along with the man's parole officer went to his mother's house in downtown Detroit. They arrested him and the parole officers searched the house because he failed to show up for his last two parole appointments, Rosati said. 

Rosati was writing the warrant Thursday to be submitted for review by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. They have been consulted on the case as Rosati has linked more evidence to the man and the string of burglaries, he said. 

The man will be arraigned this weekend or possibly on Monday but he will remain in custody until arraignment, Rosati said.