PORTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (Feb. 21, 2014) — Some thorough detective work helped catch someone accused of stealing a woman’s packages on her front porch. Police say the suspect ended up being the victim’s sister-in-law, who was stealing gifts from her own nephew.
The investigation began the day before Valentine’s Day, when a woman in Van Buren County reported the stolen packages. They included gift cards to Meijer and Kohl’s, birthday cards, video game accessories, and more. She was able to get serial numbers from the stolen gift cards, which the suspect then used at the stores.
Security was able to catch the suspect on camera, and turned the images over to detectives at the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies tracked the suspect down, and determined it was the victim’s sister-in-law. The items she stole were birthday presents for her nephew, the victim’s son.
She told police she threw the stolen property away because she felt guilty. When they asked her why she didn’t just return the items if she had such overwhelming guilt, she simply said she didn’t want to get caught.
The suspect is not being named until she is arraigned on multiple charges.
