Red Roof Inn Robbery Suspect May Be Connected to Crime Spree, Troy Police Say

Police believe the suspect in in Troy may be connected to robberies in Grosse Pointe Woods, Centerline and Roseville during the past week. 

On Monday, Southfield police were involved in a car chase with the suspect who they said was driving a stolen vehicle. The suspect crashed in Detroit and fled on foot, and a Southfield officer shot him in the buttocks. He was transported to a hospital and is expected to recover, police said.

Grosse Pointe police said the suspect was in the car with two other men who got away when the car crashed.

In the , a man first robbed a 7-11 at about 3 a.m. Jan. 20, during which Two hours later, he stole $500 cash from a Mobil gas station. He brandished a handgun in both robberies and drove away on Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe.

During one of the robberies after Grosse Pointe Woods, the robber stole another clerk's vehicle, Grosse Pointe Detective Sgt. Raymond Yonkowski said. That car's information was entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network, and Southfield Police found it parked on the street. They performed surveillance on the vehicle and eventually three men got in but refused to stop when Southfield Police tried to stop them, leading to a pursuit, Yonkowski said.

Troy police spokesman Andy Breidenich said his department was able to link the suspect to the chase because Southfield police discovered the laptop and cell phone that were stolen from the clerk at the items were found in the suspect's home.

It is not yet clear whether the hospitalized man fits the physical description of the man who robbed the Grosse Pointe Woods Mobil gas station. The man is expected to recover, Breidenich said.

Breidenich said that on Friday Troy Police will meet with Grosse Pointe Woods and several other police departments to discuss links between the robberies.