Brothers Arrested For Home Invasions Linked To Dozens Of Other Crimes
TROY (WWJ) - Two brothers are facing home invasion charges after they were caught breaking into homes in Troy.
Robert and Zachary Deming on Thursday were arraigned in 52-4 District Court with two counts of first degree home invasion, and one count of breaking and entering. Bond for both was set at $250,000. They're due back in court for a preliminary examination on July 22.
Troy police say the charges stem from an incident that began around 3:40 a.m. on Wednesday, after they received a report of a burglar alarm at a home in the 6000 block of Riverton, near Crooks and West Square Lake roads.
Officers arrived at the home and learned that the homeowner was out-of-town, so they notified the man's son, who arrived and let them into the house. Once inside, officers discovered that entry had been made through a bedroom window, which had been pushed in. Police also found muddy footprints throughout the home. However, the homeowner's son said it didn't appear that anything was stolen.
While the officers were still in the area, around 4:25 a.m., the Troy Police Department received a call from a homeowner in the 6000 block of Denton -- which is less than a half-mile away from the first crime scene -- who said a suspicious person was knocking on their front door.
Officers responded to the home and found wet footprints on the porch and on the lawn leading away from the home. Officers began searching the area for the suspect when they apparently noticed a suspicious vehicle driving on Denton.
Officers stopped the vehicle and spoke to the lone driver, Robert Deming, who said he was in the area to pick up his brother, Zachary. Police say the officers thought his story for being in the area was suspicious, and placed Robert Deming under arrest for driving while license suspended.
The officers remained in the area, checking the subdivisions, when around 5:45 a.m. the Troy Police Department received yet another call, this time from a homeowner in the 6000 block of Basswood -- just a few blocks away from the second crime scene.
According to police, the homeowner in this instance reported that about 20 minutes earlier, he had been awakened by a person standing in his bedroom shining a flashlight into his eyes. When the homeowner got up to check the home, he discovered that the person had left the house through the rear door wall. Upon checking the home, the homeowner discovered that cell phones were missing from the kitchen counter, a purse had been gone through and $24 in cash was taken.
While the homeowner was still on the phone with the police department, he looked in his backyard and saw the suspect staring at him. After making eye contact, the homeowner said the suspect fled the yard.
Additional officers were called to the scene to established a perimeter and begin searching. After a short time, officers spotted the suspect and initiated a foot pursuit. Police say the foot chase continued for an hour, winding through a wooded area, with the suspect escaping once by swimming across a swollen creek.
Officers finally apprehended the suspect, Zachary Deming, who was attempting to hide under a deck in the 6000 block of Pineway -- just down the street from the third crime scene. Police say he crawled out from under the deck and was taken into custody without further incident.
Police say further investigation revealed that Zachary Deming was responsible for breaking into at least 16 vehicles in separate areas of the city between June 24 and 25. Investigators also found evidence that links Zachary Deming to additional home invasions and larcenies from vehicles that occurred in Royal Oak and other Oakland County communities.
It wasn't immediately clear if Zachary Deming will face any additional charges.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Department and police departments from Madison Heights and Bloomfield Township assisted Troy police during the investigation.
