A food theft allegation at a Troy gas station allegedly turned into a midday fight, leaving two landscapers injured and a Detroit man facing multiple criminal charges. The suspect, Brian Strongheart Thomas Robbins, is accused of taking food from the store before the confrontation escalated.
The incident happened shortly before 11:30 a.m. last Wednesday at the XO Liquor/Shell store in Troy, according to The Oakland Press. Troy police said surveillance footage showed Robbins stealing food, then being confronted by a store clerk.
Police said Robbins tried to hit the clerk but missed. Two landscapers who saw the altercation then confronted him, and investigators said Robbins assaulted both men, causing significant injuries before officers arrived and separated the people involved.
Robbins, 31, was arrested and transported to the Troy police lock-up facility. He was arraigned the following day, with bond set at $2,500, and faces charges of third-degree retail fraud, aggravated assault, and two counts of assault and assault and battery, The Oakland Press reported.
Next court date is set for September 1
The case is moving toward a pretrial hearing scheduled for September 1 in Troy. The 52-4 District Court handles criminal matters for the city, according to the Oakland County court system.
What third-degree retail fraud means
Michigan law defines third-degree retail fraud as stealing store property valued at less than $200, or committing certain related acts involving property below that threshold. The offense is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both, according to the Michigan Legislature.
The assault allegations are separate from the retail-fraud charge, and the accusations have not been proven in court. Robbins is presumed innocent unless prosecutors establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
