MANISTIQUE, Mich. (WZMQ) – A 14-year-old male is in custody and facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after stealing two vehicles.
On Tuesday, March 5, Manistique Public Safety Officers were called for reports of a young male going door to door asking for help with his vehicle. It was determined that the vehicle had gotten stuck on a snowmobile trail within the city. The citizen he asked for help found the situation suspicious and called the police. When the teen found out authorities had been called, he fled on foot.
Manistique Public Safety officers discovered that the stuck vehicle had been taken without the owner’s knowledge. They suspected that the stolen vehicle may be linked to a voluntarily missing juvenile, which had been reported earlier that same day.
During the investigation, Manistique Public Safety learned further details about the juvenile’s intentions for the stolen vehicle. Officers requested assistance from the Michigan State Police and Sault Tribe Law Enforcement to establish a local dragnet to locate him.
At approximately 11:00 p.m., a suspicious vehicle was seen traveling west on US-2 near the west city limits. Both Manistique Public Safety and Michigan State Police units initiated an immediate traffic stop. After approaching the vehicle, officers discovered that the vehicle was being driven by the juvenile they were looking for. During the traffic stop, officers determined that the vehicle the teen was driving had also been taken without the owner’s permission.
The 14-year-old was taken into custody without incident and turned over to the Schoolcraft County Probate Court for holding. The investigation remains ongoing.
Officials remind the public to be vigilant in protecting their own property by removing the keys from their vehicles and keeping them locked.
