Sumpter, VBT PDs charge Antonio Lopez with B&Es into garages

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
Antonio Lopez of Sumpter Township, who turned 21 on Jan. 14, was bound over to circuit court by 34th District Court on Jan. 8 on charges he had broken into garages in Sumpter and Van Buren townships and made off with a motorcycle, quad, and minibikes.
Sumpter Township Detective John Toth said the break-ins detected in Sumpter and VBT are “the bare minimum” of what he may have done.
In Sumpter he is charged with stealing a motorcycle on Oct. 10 from a garage in the 45000 block of Harris Road and a quad on Oct. 6 from a garage in the 39000 block of Wear Road.
Sumpter’s charges are: breaking & entering a building with intent (10-year felony) and larceny in a building (4-year felony).
The Van Buren Township charges are from the Nov. 1 mini-bike thefts and are: breaking & entering – entry without breaking with intent; and two charges of receiving and concealing a motor vehicle.
Det. Toth said as the case was developing, Lopez turned himself in to Sumpter, who released him to VBT which had a break-in he was tied to. Then he was released pending issuance of warrants and later turned himself into VBT.
Another person involved with Lopez in the thefts, Marcus Shaffer, 18, of Ypsilanti, was charged Oct. 6 for receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle and bound over to circuit court.
Det. Toth said Sumpter thought its rash of breaking and enterings of garages was over, but then there was another theft and so they put out an electronic Nixle alert to the community. Then, the thefts stopped completely, he said.