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Quick response by Owosso police nabs break-in suspects
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Saturday, February 18, 2006 8:51 AM EST
QUICK action by Owosso police led to the arrest of two men suspected of robbing Harrand’s party store, 620 E. Oliver St., early Friday morning. The men will be charged in Shiawassee County 66th District Court. Argus-Press Photo Anthony Cepak
Freshly fallen snow ruined the plans of two men who robbed Harrand's, Inc. in Owosso early Friday.
Both men were arrested at a house on North Park Street after police followed the tracks of a shopping cart they filled with beer and cigarettes and pushed away from the 620 E. Oliver St. party store.
Owosso Deputy Police Chief Mike Rau said officers responded to an alarm at Harrand's around 4:10 a.m. Friday. The shop's glass door had been shattered, but no one was in sight - then officers noticed a strange set of tracks in the snow.
“The (officers) didn't even really know what they were following at first, it looked like a sled,” Rau said.
Officers followed the tracks to a house on the 500 block of North Park Street, where they arrested a 19-year-old Owosso resident who confessed to the robbery. After obtaining a search warrant, officers entered the house and arrested the second suspect, a 20-year-old Battle Creek resident.
The shopping cart and its contents were recovered and the two men are in the Shiawassee County Jail awaiting arraignment.
Although it's not commonplace, Rau said using freshly fallen snow to catch suspects is not as rare as some might imagine.
“This actually happens quite often, where (officers) track people back in the fresh snow,” he said. “You wouldn't think people would do it, but it happens a couple of times a year.”
Shop owner Bob Harrand had the shattered door replaced Friday morning.
“I just want to thank the police department for being on the ball,” he said. “They got there quick.”