An 87-year-old woman was carjacked outside of a Dollar Tree on 8 Mile in the Royal Town Center located in the Charter Township of Royal Oak at around 12:55 p.m. Sunday.
Troopers say a Black male with long dreads and a green hoodie ripped the keys from the victim’s hand and stole her vehicle. Witnesses tried to block the suspect from leaving, but he sped off through the Kroger lot, headed west, then north on Wyoming.
One witness followed the suspect’s vehicle into an apartment complex in Ferndale but lost sight of it. That same witness later located the car abandoned in the lot and alerted authorities.
State Police confirmed video showed the suspect entering a nearby apartment. After interviews, troopers tracked him down at a relative’s home in Detroit, where he was arrested without incident.
He is currently in Michigan State Police custody and will be lodged at the Oakland County Jail pending prosecutor review.
“This was great work by community members and troopers,” said F/Lt. Mike Shaw. “When law enforcement and community members work together we can get dangerous criminals out of our neighborhoods. These neighbors saw something and not only said something, they did something.”
