After 2 Years On The Run, Fraud Suspect Caught At Royal Oak Theater

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - A Detroit man who spent two years evading police was finally taken into custody on fraud charges after some sharp-eared moviegoers heard him talking about stolen credit cards.

The case started back in February 2015, when Bloomfield Township police spoke with a woman in the 1700 block of Golf Ridge Road who said her company credit card had fraudulent charges on it. All of the transactions occurred at Somerset Mall, totaling over $7,000.

A detective conducted an extensive investigation but had little to no leads -- until he spoke to a clerk from one of the businesses in the mall. The clerk told police she distinctly remembers the transaction because the man making a purchase attempted to use several cards. She said she grew suspicious and asked for ID, but the man said he was from Ohio and did not have an identification. The clerk, however, saw a Michigan ID in the man's hand and wrote down what she saw -- Dekoven Lynch.

After a lengthy investigation, the detective established enough probable cause to say that Lynch was responsible for the theft. Near the end of 2015, a two-count felony arrest warrant was issued, but officers couldn't track Lynch down.

The now-29-year-old was able to avoid the police until February of this year when patrons at a movie theater in Royal Oak overheard Lynch talking about fraudulent credit cards. Royal Oak Police were called and arrested Lynch without incident.

Lynch was arraigned February 3 at the 48th District Court on two felony counts of illegal use of a financial transaction device. He posted $10,000 bond and was released. He's due back in court on February 21.