Teens report bikes stolen by 3 men who used pickup truck to block their path
Three men in a pickup truck forced two 17-year-olds to give up their bicycles on Ellsworth Road in Pittsfield Township early Thursday morning, the teens told Pittsfield Township police.
The men put the bikes in the back of the truck and drove off, the teens said. The teens were not harmed.
The men in the truck were white, and all in their early 20s, the victims said. Two were described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and one was 5 feet 10 inches tall. They were in an older dark blue or black pickup truck that could possibly have been a Ford Ranger.
The victims could not provide further identifying details for the truck, Pittsfield Township police said. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Pittsfield Township police at 734-822-4911.
Comments
Barb
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 5:42 p.m.
Responding to "goobman": " This would never happen in the middle of the day or even around midnight for that matter," is ridiculous. A quick search of annarbor.com archives proves you wrong. There is no way that it shouldn't be OK for 2 17 year olds, in the summer (who could have jobs that keep them out that late), to not have the right ride bikes safely and responsibly without being victims of crime.
justcurious
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 7:01 p.m.
Barb, I kind of doubt they "have jobs that keep them out that late." http://www.ehow.com/list_6302336_michigan-labor-laws-minors.html Hours • Teens who are 14 and 15 years of age can work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. when school is in session, generally from after Labor Day to June first. When school is not in session, youth can work until 9 p.m. Minors can work a maximum of three hours a day after school, and no more than eight hours a day during non-school days or if school is not in session. Minors between 16 and 17 years old can work between 6 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and as late as 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, provided school is not in session. The daily limit is 10 hours, and weekly averages cannot exceed eight hours per day. Anyone less than 18 years of age cannot work more than six days in a week, and a combination of school and work hours cannot go over 48 hours on a weekly basis?? Read more: http://www.ehow.com/list_6302336_michigan-labor-laws-minors.html#ixzz2c49Bo7U0
goobman
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 6:42 p.m.
Barb, I never stated that it wasn't ok for the teens to be out there. Nor did I ever "blame the victims." What I did state is that it is rather unusual to be riding bikes at 330am. Could they be riding back from work?...absolutely. I am/was not speculating. I think most people would agree that it is unusual to be riding bikes at that hour. I would be surprised if one drove by in a car at 330am and saw two teenagers (or anybody for that matter) and did not think to themselves "huh?" I also don't disagree with you that crimes happen at all the time (and I do read annarbor.com on a daily basis). I would completely disagree with you if you are trying to suggest that these criminals in the truck would have committed the same crime in the middle of the day. I don't know if you have ever driven on that section of the road but it is a double lane road with a hill and a large bend. It is rare that there is not constant traffic in that area making it impossible for these criminals to cross over the lane and block the oncoming lane.
Linda Peck
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 5:30 p.m.
This is really a despicable thing to do to people, corner them with a truck and demand they turn over their possessions. I think it should be prosecuted fully if they ever find the people who did this. I am thankful for the boys that they are still alive today. I agree with another commentator who stressed that this was use of a truck as a weapon. It is definitely a threat for great bodily harm if not worse.
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 4:54 p.m.
This almost sounds like a cult activity
WalkingJoe
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 4:06 p.m.
While it wasn't smart on my part I remember way back when I was 17 and was out a few times with friends at about the same time as these kids. It's called growing up and being a little adventurous. The three guys are the ones who everyone should blame not the 17 year-olds. At 17 some young men can take care of themselves but not when it's three against two.
Greg
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 3:47 p.m.
Somehow the press doesn't call this use of an dark colored pickup truck as use of an assualt vechicle. While use of most any gun gets called an assualt weapon routinely. Guess consistantancey isn't a strong point anyway of our news organizations.
Billy
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 4:05 p.m.
Not the time or place for picking that fight...
Yeaok
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 3:23 p.m.
Info for police and the victims, check auction.com for the bikes. There is a good possibility these people will turn around and sell them. I use to go to auctions all the time and wondered about some of the merchandise and why it was going for so cheap.
John of Saline
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 3:40 p.m.
Or Craigslist, ....
Yeaok
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 3:25 p.m.
Auctionzip*
HermanP
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:31 p.m.
Why are you obligated to take it at face value? (Unless PTPD is unwilling to to run an open/transparent department and speak to reporters.) Reporters, like attorneys should never take anything at face value. Do some follow up, try and FOIA, develop a source.... I'm sure there is more to this story. If you do an FOIA, the standard denial is that it is still under investigation. So start a weekly or monthly "tickler" file and refile the FOIA. It can't be under investigation for ever.
Cindy Heflin
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:41 p.m.
It happened at 3:30 this morning. We do use FOIA and followup. At this point the case is only 7 hours old.
Billy
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:11 p.m.
REALLY need to catch these guys...this is one of those crimes that will EMPOWER them if they are not caught and punished for it.
Cindy Heflin
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:10 p.m.
Please don't post comments that blame the victims here. This report came from Pittsfield Township police and we are obligated to take it at face value.
seldon
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 6:49 p.m.
I don't think journalists should be obligated to take statements from law enforcement agencies at face value as a general rule. Do you really think that?
Barb
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 5:49 p.m.
So, you just leave those that are saying the parents and/or kids shouldn't have been out that late... comments up?
tdw
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:52 p.m.
Cindy....So what exactly is A2.com's policy about blaming the victims ? cause A2.com certainly didn't care about blaming the victim when those 3 guns were stolen from the trunk of a car a week or so ago.This not a troll question I really want to know
jmac
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 1:06 p.m.
3:30 in the morning???? My son and his friends thought it was 'cool' to be out in the middle of the night, too, until a car traveling very slowly followed them one night. Scared them enough to give up their late-night forays into the darkness. Suggest that parents keep their kids - 17 or not - inside after midnight, safer for everyone all the way around.
Billy
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:59 p.m.
There's no established curfew as far as I know. We DO have curfew for some holidays though, like halloween/devil's night.
Themadcatter
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:54 p.m.
I also cannot find any reference to a curfew on the Pittsfield government website. Just curious...does any one know?
Themadcatter
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 2:48 p.m.
Teens under 18 may not have every right to be out at 3:30 in the morning. I could not find any reference to an ordinance on the Ann Arbor City government website about curfews but I would guess there must be one.
goobman
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 1:51 p.m.
Barb, I don't think jmac is blaming the victim(s). I think he/she is bringing up a logical/obvious point. These men pulled their truck over into the oncoming traffic lane on a usually busy double lane road. This would never happen in the middle of the day or even around midnight for that matter. You are more likely to run into trouble at these times of the day and it is unusual (in my mind) for teenagers to be riding his bike at 330am. Yes, they have all the right in the world to do so, but they are much more likely to run into people with bad intentions (for whatever reason..be it alcohol, drugs or less witnesses) at the wee hours of the morning. It is a shame that they had their bicycles stolen, but I am glad that they were not harmed.
ummsw
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 1:50 p.m.
Agreed...
Barb
Thu, Aug 15, 2013 : 1:24 p.m.
Yeah, that's the point we should all take away from this story... blame the victim.