COOPER TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Michigan State Police say they confiscated several thousand dollars worth of stolen property during a raid Tuesday in the 2800 block of D Avenue in Kalamazoo County. A 35-year-old man was hiding the items at the Cooper Township home after several break-ins over the past few months.
Officials were at the home for much of the day Tuesday. The stolen property was stashed at the home along with drugs and other paraphernalia, officials said.
"It was overwhelming," said Trooper Bryan Fueller from the MSP Wayland Post. "There was a large amount of property that obviously didn’t fit."
Crews spent hours on Tuesday loading up trucks and trailers with stolen property, Fueller said. "We had a U-Haul and a trailer or two, and they all left full."
Evidence was also collected from three different buildings on the property.
Police said they caught wind of the suspect after investigating a break-in near Plainwell. They received a tip about a vehicle that may have been tied to that incident spotted in Kalamazoo County.
"The trooper who initially handled the complaint in Allegan County responded to this area thinking this was the suspect's home residence," Fueller said. "And shortly after he arrived here, the suspect drove by and parked in a driveway a couple houses away and took off on foot."
The suspect was eventually caught by a police dog.
"We will tally all the stolen property and get with other surrounding agencies to see if it matches with any open investigations," said Trooper Fueller.
Investigators tell FOX 17 there's no evidence that drugs were being manufactured in the home.
As for the suspect, he's being held in the Allegan County jail. His name will be released after he's arraigned on Wednesday.
Police said they're hoping to return the items back to their rightful owners once they are cataloged.
