Bay City man charged with felony larceny
Motorist catches, detains suspected car burglar for police
A Bay City man is charged with felony larceny from a car after Ferndale police say a man caught the suspect and detained him until officers arrived.
Patrick Kendall, 31, had a hearing in Ferndale 43rd District Court on Monday that was delayed because the suspect was unavailable.
Kendall has been free on $3,500 personal bond following his arraignment March 6 before Ferndale 43rd District Magistrate J. Patrick Brenna.
He was arrested a day earlier near Woodward and Silman outside the Suburban Ford service center on Woodward Avenue north of Eight Mile Road.
A Detroit man had taken his
girlfriend’s Ford Fusion to the dealership’s service department about 1:30 p.m. and went inside to talk to an employee, police said.
“When the victim returned to the car he saw a man later identified as Kendall wearing a black jacket and yellow hoodie near the vehicle,” said Ferndale police Detective Brendan Moore. “At first he thought Kendall was an employee, but when the victim looked inside the car he noticed someone had rummaged through it.”
The Detroit man stopped the suspect, who showed him a handful of change and said:
“This is all I took,” according to police.
But the Detroit man felt something else was amiss, Moore said.
“The victim searched the suspect and found he had a cell phone taken from the vehicle that belonged to the victim’s nephew,” Moore said.
Police said Kendall started walking away and the Detroit man called police.
Officers arrived and arrested the suspect.
At the police station, officers said they tried to interview Kendall but he wouldn’t talk.
The charge against Kendall is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Typically, anyone convicted of stealing items worth less than $2,000 faces a one-year misdemeanor. However, state legal penalties are increased for stealing items such as a phone, other electronics or a catalytic converter, airbag, wheel or tire.
Kendall’s criminal history includes two prior felony drug convictions in Oakland County, police said.
He is scheduled to appear for a video conference in Ferndale court at 1 p.m.
Kendall has entered a not-guilty plea and requested a court-appointed attorney.