Wave of home break-ins hits Hamtramck

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – Residents in Hamtramck are becoming increasingly concerned about a series of daring daytime break-ins.

Thieves have been hitting homes early in the day after homeowners head to work.

“There’s one or two a day, maybe on a bad day, three,” Sharon Buttry, of the Hamtramck Community Initiative, said.

Buttry’s housemate was walking down the street when she became a victim.

“Some men in a car knocked her to the ground and took her cellphone,” Buttry said.

The mayor posted to social media about a resident who had their purse stolen while they were donating clothes.

The big issue is with break-ins between 7 and 9 a.m.

A home on Prescott Street was hit three times. A neighbor two doors down was hit twice.

Police and neighborhood patrols are on the lookout, as the thieves appear to be highly organized, oftentimes casing the house by approaching unsuspecting residents and asking questions.

“Is this your house? Do you live here? Is anybody home? Is the homeowner at work? We’re just asking people, if someone approached you on the street, they’re fishing for information,” Hamtramck Police Chief Anne Moise said.

The Campau Tower, a landmark burger joint, was hit in an armed robbery Friday night, which is unusual for a high traffic area and adds to a sense of unease among residents.

Neighborhood patrol leaders believe that strength in numbers can help put a stop to the break-ins. For more information, click here.