Suspected Livonia Church Burglar In Police Custody
LIVONIA, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Police say a man suspected of breaking into multiple churches around Christmas time in metro Detroit is in custody.
Anthony Lavin, 42, has been charged with breaking and entering, possession of burglars tools and habitual offender fourth offense.
An alleged break-in happened at Bell Creek Church located at 30000 Five Mile in Livonia and he's also a person of interest in three additional church burglaries in Livonia and church burglaries in other nearby communities.
Farmington Hills Police received reports of a church burglary the morning of Dec. 30, 2019.
The burglary happened overnight and the church was equipped with a Ring doorbell that captured a white Dodge Ram pickup at the scene during the crime.
Later in the day, Farmington Hills detectives located the pickup and began to monitor the vehicle. Detectives observed Labin enter his vehicle and leave the area.
Police followed him to Bell Creek Church.
It's alleged that he broke into the church by removing a screen and prying open a door before being scared off by a burglary alarm.
Based on observations of the detectives, police stopped Lavin's vehicle at Scholcraft and Newburgh where he was taken into custody.
He was arraigned on Jan. 2 and his bond was set in the amount of $500,000 10 percent cash or surety.
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