Scio Township business rocked by theft of 16 boulders
Kaiser Optical Systems in Scio Township has been rocked by the theft of 16 boulders that made up a retaining wall behind the business.
Sgt. Geoff Fox, of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, said Thursday the boulders were removed in stages from the business, 371 Parkland Plaza, during the past week. The rocks were used as a retaining wall behind the business and were estimated to cost about $50 each, he said.
He didn’t have an estimate on how big the boulders were, but the thieves must have come back to the location multiple times to take all 16.
“Most of them are pretty big,” he said. “They (landscapers) make them in all different sizes, some of the bigger ones are pretty heavy so you don’t see it that much.”
Fox, who said investigators would leave no stone unturned during the investigation, described the bizarre theft as rare. Details on the thefts are sparse at this point, leaving deputies between ... well, a rock and a hard place.
A message left with a Kaiser Optical Systems was not immediately returned Thursday. The company is described as a world leader in spectrographic instrumentation and holographic technology on its website.
Fox did not have a suspect description available when he spoke with AnnArbor.com Thursday.
Anyone with information on the incident is encouraged to call the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office anonymous tip line at 734-973-7711.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Jim
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 2:37 p.m.
That's some gneiss reporting there Kyle
Carole
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 11:41 a.m.
Rather discouraging as to some of the very negative comments. More importantly is that the rocks belonged to an individual, not easy to come by, rather expensive, probably not that easy to do his landscaping with, and they were stolen by someone who definitely just totally has no respect for other individual's property. Frankly, I think that is disgusting.
Jimmy McNulty
Sat, Jul 21, 2012 : 1:43 p.m.
Rock on!
daytona084
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 3:30 a.m.
This story would be a great subject for a "who-dunnit" type documentary hosted by Stone Phillips
Ron Granger
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 2:03 a.m.
Those criminals should be sent to a prison where they still bust rocks all day long.
Ann English
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 12:39 a.m.
Landscape boulders in the back? Up til now, I only thought of boulders used for landscaping in front yards, and just one at that, for protecting the building from out-of-control vehicles slipping and sliding on the road in front of the building.
jns131
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 10:51 p.m.
I heard Stonewall Jackson is still stone walling the boulders. Thanks everyone for a good laugh. Needed it today.
Jeff Renner
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 10:13 p.m.
"the thieves must have come back to the location multiple times to take all 16." So it sounds like they must have rocked around the clock. But my hat is off to Laura, who takes the prize.
OLDTIMER3
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 9:37 p.m.
landscapers make them in different sizes? I don't think the LANDSCAPERS made them, I think it was mother nature made them.
ranger007
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 1:42 p.m.
Someone must have missed that day in "earth science "
justcurious
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 9:17 p.m.
Excellent journalism Kyle. You've outdone yourself yet again...along with many of the commenters. I do hope that the thieves are caught next time, if there are any left.
Barbara Annis
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 9:08 p.m.
They were heavy, right? So, obviously the Rolling Stones.
Jimmy McNulty
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 9:08 p.m.
Looks as if someone got their rocks off.
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 9:02 p.m.
AnnArbor.com has long had a rocky relationship with their readers... and now this! ;-) Tomorrow's headline: Thieves steal grass fire from small vacant lot.
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 11:41 p.m.
@Laura Bien: BRILLIANT!! LOL!
Laura Bien
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 10:19 p.m.
Theft of Old Fourth Ward grass fire inflames community, sparks debate on neighborhood watch program. Councilmembers trying to extinguish concern seen as blowing smoke--ignite controversy. Flame at 11.
clara
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 8:30 p.m.
Notice, be on the lookout for stolen boulders. They are described as: Big Round Heavy um, how heavy? What color(s)? Igneous? Sedimentary? Metamorphic? Anyone check craigslist?
xmo
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 7:49 p.m.
I wonder who just had a landscaping job which had some boulders in it in Scio Township?
Indymama
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 2:46 a.m.
Maybe not in Scio but in Northeast AA ...Geddes Rd..between RR tracks and near the tennis courts?? I think that is what that club house has. Don't know name of street but it is off Geddes just before one drives under the overpass of Huron Pkwy going East, Boulders from Mexico or south of our border??? Huge ones partially hidden by evergreen trees!.
Lizzeh
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 7:21 p.m.
These comments rock my socks.
DwightSchrute
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 7:21 p.m.
Rocked? Seriously? The journalism here stone-cold stinks!
A2comments
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 7:20 p.m.
Sgt. Geoff Fox, of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, said Thursday... "Most of them are pretty big," he said. "They (landscapers) make them in all different sizes, some of the bigger ones are pretty heavy so you don't see it that much." I didn't know that landscapers make boulders. I always wondered where they came from...
tdw
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 7:08 p.m.
Maybe it was Neil Young rocking in the free world
Laura Bien
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 6:58 p.m.
Kaiser Optical may have to cave and get some gneiss security cameras, ore else suffer another basalt! These days, you can't take anything for granite. They shale overcome, of quartz they will! It's sedimentary, my dear Watson.
arborani
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 7:05 p.m.
Okay Laura, you win.
jwally
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 6:12 p.m.
If you get to a point in life where you need to steal boulders, you have clearly hit rock bottom.
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
Be on the lookout for Fred and Barney, known associates of Wilma, Betty, BamBam and Dino.
spm
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 6:28 p.m.
Ah heck. Meant "rocked my world". Edit buttons, we need edit buttons!!
spm
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 6:27 p.m.
LOL! Now that one really rocked by world.
cornelius McDougenschniefferburgenstein jr. 3 esq.
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 5:32 p.m.
theese thives have big stones.
Rizzle
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 5:28 p.m.
I'm very suspicious of Dee Snider. He's been screaming for a long time now: "I Wanna Rock!"
Top Cat
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 5:27 p.m.
"rocked" by the theft of 16 boulders.... Fox, who said investigators would leave no "stone" unturned....Nice touch Kyle.
David Misek
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 4:52 p.m.
To quote Bob Dylan, "everybody must get stoned".....
bunnyabbot
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 4:32 p.m.
ok, the nude dude flashing on the river was full of your little funnisms. But really, this article too? Too much, now you just seem to be saying you don't take journalism serious at all.
bunnyabbot
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 12:49 p.m.
so much for the bar being set high
Paula Gardner
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 10:17 p.m.
I thought it was rock-solid reporting. :)
arborani
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 7:04 p.m.
Most of us take serious journalism serious*LY*. But with all due sympathy for Kaiser Optical, Kyle opened the door on all this.
Fordie
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 4:30 p.m.
Those criminals are bolder than most.
PrevoTownie
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 9:24 p.m.
Maybe they were not stolen, maybe it ia an "optical" illusion.
Brad
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
"A message left with a Kaiser Optical Systems was not immediately returned Thursday." Don't let 'em stonewall you, Kyle.
Ricebrnr
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 4:27 p.m.
not punny at all...