Utica Crime Briefs: Boy Leads Police on Chase, Rash of Catalytic Converters Stolen

Boy, 13, Takes Parents' Car, Leads Police On Chase

A 13-year-old Sterling Heights boy was arrested on April 11 after he lead police on five mile high-speed chase while driving his parents' vehicle.

The boy, whose name is not being released because he is a minor, was charged with fleeing and eluding police.

The arrest was made just before 1:30 a.m. in front of the boy’s driveway after police said he ran two red lights while reaching speeds as high as 90 mph.

The Utica police said they were alerted by the Shelby Township police that a possibly stolen Chrysler Sebring was heading toward Hall Road.

When Utica Police activated their sirens and attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver sped up and ran through two red lights before coming to a stop at a home on Pinot Noir Drive in Sterling Heights.

When the boy exited the vehicle, he told police he did not pull over because he was afraid. He told police he took his parents' vehicle, without them knowing, so he could visit a friend in Shelby Township, about five miles from his home.

He was arrested and taken to the Utica Police Department. As a precaution, EMS was called to the station because the boy had cuts on his face and chin. However, he insisted he was not injured.

After he was charged, his parents picked him up at the station. The vehicle the boy was driving was impounded.

Utica Investigates Rash of Stolen Catalytic Converters

Four catalytic converters were stolen from parked vehicles in two days in Utica.

Three converters were stolen on April 9, and the last reported theft occurred on April 10.

Utica Police Det. Sgt. Dave Faber said he believes the thefts are connected.

He said he believes it is a group of thieves who are working together and usually target vehicles in commercial parking lots because they know the vehicle owners are inside shopping.

Two of the thefts occurred in the Dave and Buster’s parking lot, one in the Sam’s Club parking lot and the last was outside of a hotel on Park Lane.

Racial Slur Written On Woman’s Vehicle

The Utica police were called to the Dave and Buster’s parking lot on Hall Road on April 9 on a report of damage to private property.

When officers arrived, a woman said that while she was inside of Dave and Busters, someone wrote a racial slur on her 2007 Chrysler 300 in permanent marker.

Her vehicle was also scratched in different spots, and the caps of the valve stems on her tires were taken.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Utica Police Department at 586-731-2345.