An 18-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint around 7 p.m. Sunday at a Shell gas station in Plymouth Township, and police say they tracked down the suspect at a gas station in Dearborn. The victim told officers that a woman carrying a black semiautomatic pistol stole her wallet and cellphone before speeding off in a black Jeep SUV.
The robbery happened at the Shell station at 47373 Five Mile Road, according to the Detroit Free Press. Police identified the suspect as a 35-year-old Wayne woman, and investigators located her and the Jeep at a gas station in Dearborn. Officers recovered the victim's stolen property along with a suspected firearm, per the same report.
Investigators Moved Fast to Track Suspect Vehicle
Plymouth Township Police Chief James Knittel credited quick investigative work for identifying the suspect. “Investigators moved quickly utilizing technology and other investigative techniques to identify the suspect vehicle and suspect,” Knittel said, according to the station's report. He also praised the cross-jurisdictional response that led to the arrest.
“A coordinated effort with the Dearborn Police Department resulted with the arrest of this dangerous suspect on an active crime spree,” Knittel said. That collaboration between the two departments was echoed by WXYZ, which reported that Plymouth Township and Dearborn police coordinated throughout the investigation and arrest.
Suspect May Be Linked to Other Metro Detroit Crimes
Police said evidence recovered at the scene suggested the suspect was responsible for numerous other serious crimes across the metro Detroit area, though that possible connection has not been independently detailed beyond the police attribution reported by the Free Press. The robbery investigation remains ongoing, and the case is expected to be presented to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office for review of possible charges.
Under Michigan law, armed robbery involves a person engaging in conduct covered under the state's robbery statute while possessing an article used or fashioned in a way that would lead a reasonable person to believe it is a weapon, according to the relevant section of the Michigan Legislature's penal code. Police planned to submit information to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office for a charging review.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Sgt. Hayes at 734-354-3234.
