Home Intruder Claims to be Santa Claus, Multiple Retail Fraud Incidents at JCPenney

The following is a recap of recent news from the Troy Police Department.

Man Claims to be Santa Claus During Home Invasion

Troy officers were dispatched to a home on VanCourtland just after midnight on Sunday where they discovered a home invasion in progress, according to the report. The homeowner told police she woke up and found a strange man in her home. After asking who the man was, he responded that he was "Santa Claus" before grabbing a set of keys and exiting the home, the report stated. Officers immediately searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. Later that day, a person, matching the description of the man, was seen at a bus stop on Maple Road. After running away, he was later located and arrested, according to the report.

Items Taken from JCPenney

A 25-year-old Hazel Park man was cited for retail fraud after he was caught taking three hooded sweatshirts and a pair of Adidas shoes from JCPenney at Oakland Mall around 8:45 p.m. on Jan. 11. The man took off the slippers he was wearing and put on the Adidas shoes and attempted to exit the store after placing his shoes in the Adidas shoebox, according to the report.

In a separate incident the next day, around 6 p.m., a 19-year-old Pontiac male was cited for retail fraud after he was seen taking two pairs of pants and a jacket from JCPenney by concealing the merchandise under his own clothing. When asked why he took the items, he replied, “I have to go to court in a few days for shoplifting, and I needed the money”.

Also on Jan. 12, 45 minutes later, a 17-year-old Pontiac male was arrested after police say he took two pairs of jeans from the department store. The teen took the jeans into a fitting room and put them on underneath his own pants before exiting the store, according to the report.

The two Jan. 12 incidents do not appear to be related.

Teen Driver Found with Marijuana Inside Vehicle

An 18-year-old Troy teenager was arrested near Long Lake and Tyler on Friday on charges of operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs. When the car was stopped around 10:30 p.m., officers noticed the teen's bloodshot/glossy eyes and discovered a baggie of marijuana and narcotic paraphernalia inside, according to a report. After the teen had difficulty reciting the alphabet, he was arrested, police said. He is currently facing multiple charges.

Call Troy Police at 248-524-3447 if you have any information about these incidents. For questions about this report, email Troy Patch at troy@patch.com.