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'Grinch' Who Stole Presents During Home Invasion Held On $100,000 Bond

WARREN (WWJ) - A 27-year-old man police have dubbed the "Grinch" is being held on a $100,000 bond after breaking into a Warren home and stealing presents from under the Christmas tree.

Adam Jarjusey was arraigned Wednesday on a felony charge of home invasion, which carries a 15-year prison sentence.

The break-in happened just five days before Christmas at a home in Warren where a 27-year-old single-mother lives with her 8-year-old daughter. The mother told police she was at work when her security system alerted her of a home invasion taking place at her residence, near 9 Mile and Van Dyke. When she opened up her home security app, she could see the man filling a bag with presents from under the Christmas tree.

"It clearly shows him on videotape going through the home, packaging up all the Christmas presents that were under the tree and also carrying the gifts out, including a television that he took from the home," Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer told WWJ's Sandra McNeill.

Dwyer said this likely wasn't Jarjusey's first crime at the home.

"No, he didn't know (the mother) but it appears that, because of how he committed the home invasion with the treats for the dog, that he must have broken into the home before," he said. "She had two previous home invasions and we suspect that he was responsible for the other two."

Although the crime was caught on camera, it wasn't the video surveillance that led police to Jarjusey.

"Of course, he was not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He had left his cell phone in the home that he committed the home invasion at and we were able to track that phone to identify him and it took us into Detroit and we arrested him at a crack house on Packard Street," said Dwyer.

The family's presents may never be found -- "He probably gave it to the crack house that he was using to get his crack cocaine," said Dwyer -- but the mother and daughter were still able to share a merry Christmas, thanks to the outpouring of support from the community.

"We took up a collection here at the police department and we raised over $500, plus a TV was donated, a bike was donated for the 8-year-old, various gift certificates from the community and other items, so I think the mother and the daughter had a nice Christmas," said Dwyer.

As for Jarjusey, he remains in custody at the Macomb County Jail maintaining his innocence.

"No remorse whatsoever," said Dwyer. "He showed no remorse at the time of his arrest and he showed no remorse today at his arraignment."

Jarjusey is due back in court for a preliminary exam on January 11.

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