Several recent serious crimes prompt alerts
An assault on a jogger and two home invasions near campus have prompted the Department of Public Safety to issue an unprecedented three crime alerts in two days June 10 and 11. Each of the incidents occurred across from campus property, thereby placing them in the jurisdiction of the Ann Arbor Police. As of press time, none of the crimes had been solved. Descriptions of the suspects can be found on the DPS Web site at police.umich.edu.
A female told police June 10 that she had been assaulted earlier that evening as she jogged home from a friend’s apartment. She reported that she was in the 400 block of Thompson Street, across from the Institute for Social Research, when an unknown man grabbed her throat and wrist and pinned her against a tree. She kneed the man in the groin and he released his grip, allowing her to escape with no further injuries.
The first home invasion was reported to have occurred June 10 between 2 and 2:30 a.m. in Willow Tree apartments across Plymouth Road from North Campus near Murfin Avenue. The resident told police he was awakened by three intruders in his apartment. He said one of the men hit him in the head and bound him. The men took several items from the victim including his car.
The second home invasion was reported around 5:15 a.m. June 11 in the 700 block of South Forest Avenue, between Willard and Hill streets. A student told the police that he was awakened by a noise from someone in his apartment. When he entered the living room, he observed an unknown man climbing out the front window, which earlier had been left slightly open. Some personal property was missing and other items were moved in the apartment. The Ann Arbor Police made an arrest soon after the resident called police, but later cleared the man as a suspect and released him.
The three crime alerts brought the total number of alerts issued by DPS in 2009 to eight. In 2008 the department issued 20 alerts — 12 for incidents off campus. Crime Alerts are issued by DPS when a crime is reported that is perceived to pose a threat to the public safety of the community. Usually these are crimes against people rather than property.
Man arrested for purse-snatching
A 36-year-old Ann Arbor man was arraigned June 10 in connection with a purse-snatching on the Diag three days earlier. Joseph Calbert was charged with unarmed robbery and larceny from a person — both felonies. Bail was set at $25,000 or 10 percent.
A student had told campus police that as she was walking on the Diag from the West Hall arch just before 11 a.m. June 7, an unknown man approached her and asked her for the time. Then he grabbed her purse from her shoulder. After a brief struggle, he fled on foot. She immediately called police by using a cell phone she borrowed from a passer-by.
Calbert originally was arrested June 8 in Ypsilanti driving a vehicle that had been stolen in Ann Arbor. He was found in possession of property from the purse snatching.
Computer equipment taken from offices
Staff in the three units that occupy the building at 715 E. Huron St. told police several pieces of computer equipment were missing when they arrived May 18. Earlier in the morning, a custodian had called police to report that she found a window open and papers scattered around the floor when she arrived shortly after 4 a.m. However, there were no signs of forced entry into the other units from which the equipment was missing. Investigators continue to follow leads.
Boyfriend convicted of domestic violence
A 22-year-old Ypsilanti man was convicted of one count of domestic violence June 15 for assaulting his girlfriend at her mother’s Northwood Community apartment. The mother called DPS May 5 when she heard the two arguing in an upstairs room. When police arrived, they observed that the woman had an injury near her eye that was beginning to swell and bruises forming on her arm. She was taken to the U-M Hospital for treatment and the man was taken to the Washtenaw County jail. His sentencing is scheduled for July.
Personal property taken from locked closet
A custodian at the Life Sciences Institute told police May 18 that several personal items had been removed from his backpack that was in a locked closet. He also said that similar incidents had occurred in recent months. There was no sign of forced entry to the closet.
