Police: Stolen guns recovered, 2 juvenile suspects identified in West Willow home invasions
This story has been updated to include the ages and hometowns of the two juvenile suspects and that they are possibly linked to six home invasions as opposed to the previously reported five.
Two Ypsilanti Township boys -- a 16-year-old and 13-year-old -- were identified Monday as the alleged culprits in three separate home invasions over the past month in the West Willow neighborhood of Ypsilanti Township, police said.
Deputies from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 1900 block of Chevrolet Street for a home invasion investigation, police said in a news release. A deputy canvassing the area observed a juvenile determined to have been involved in the home invasion being investigated at the time, the release said.
Detectives were able to recover stolen property from three separate home invasions that had occurred in the past month from two residences in the neighborhood, including an assault rifle and two handguns.
Two juveniles have been identified in this investigation and have been linked to six separate home invasions in the neighborhood -- and possibly more, according to police.
No other information was immediately available Tuesday evening.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
tdw
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.
I don't know about other people , but if some one is breaking into my house I don't think they will honor my request to unlock my gun safe before they get. in. And BTW a " assault rifle " is a selective fire rifle used by the military which is in general,illegal to own.Just because a gun LOOKS intimidating does not make it a " assault rifle " sounds good and scary though
HB11
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 8:34 p.m.
@Rice, good video and kind of disturbing too.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 4:38 p.m.
and so if that biometric lock box is not bolted to something large and heavy, a thief will just take it and open it later at their leisure. Not to mention most any lockbox out there can be defeated in short order by anyone with some knowledge. Go ahead and you tube it, it's all out there. Most safes and lockboxes only keep honest people honest, just like the locks on your doors. Given enough time, patience and opportunity, criminals will get in. This way of thinking, setting the onus on the victims...well watch this as an example of how that argument might progress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypFgcqHyvc
DonBee
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
tdw - By all means buy a biometric lock box for your handgun and install it next to the bed. No combination required, just put your hand on it and it opens, but for people not authorized it will not open. Takes about 10 seconds, less time than fumbling under the bed, under the pillow or in the night stand.
RJA
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 12:03 a.m.
Great Job Ypsilanti and WCSD!
Billy Bob Schwartz
Tue, Sep 18, 2012 : 11:42 p.m.
Good job, Deputy. Heads-up work. I don't care where they got them, kids with guns are about as scary as it gets. Lock the guns up.
Billy
Tue, Sep 18, 2012 : 11:17 p.m.
Good to hear those guns are off the street. Now lock them in a SAFE this time.....and if that's where they were before....you told the WRONG person the combination...sorry.
HB11
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 1:09 p.m.
I'm sure they were locked up. The houses were locked before they were broken into, so let's concentrate on that and not blame the victims of the crimes.
Matt Tuck
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 12:06 a.m.
I'm sure people who have had their gun stolen will lock them up from now on.
Wehrwolf
Tue, Sep 18, 2012 : 11:13 p.m.
An "assault rifle" huh? Was it Hi-Point carbine?
Matt Tuck
Tue, Sep 18, 2012 : 11:07 p.m.
Great to see this report! Any time stolen or illegal guns are recovered by the Police it is a true blessing. My sister lives not to far from West Willow and her house was burglarized. The only item taken was her handgun hidden under her bed. I hope one of those guns recovered is hers
xmo
Tue, Sep 18, 2012 : 10:58 p.m.
How did these juveniles get these guns "including an assault rifle and two handguns." Did they have to wait 14 days for a background check? Show valid ID? Pass a gun safety class? Maybe we need tough guns laws on those who "STEAL GUNS" and not on those that "Buy" them?
Unusual Suspect
Thu, Sep 20, 2012 : 1:30 p.m.
If the guns are in my house, and my house is locked, my guns are locked up.
DonBee
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 : 4:15 p.m.
xmo - While I agree, I also think it is the responsibility of every legal gun owner to keep control of their guns. If you are not using it, it should be locked up. This would reduce the opportunity for guns to be stolen. It also reduces the opportunity for children to accidently find them. As far as I am concerned, everyone who can should have the legal right to buy and own guns, but with that right comes the responsibility to maintain control of their guns in a way the minimizes the ability to have an accident or have them stolen.