West Bloomfield schools beef up security after nearby gun store break-in

John Wisely | Detroit Free Press

West Bloomfield Schools added beefed-up police patrols at several buildings Thursday after a gun store break-in raised security concerns.

Keego Harbor Police said two people used a sledgehammer to smash their way into the Safes and Guns Unlimited store on Orchard Lake Road just north of Commerce Road about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The gun store is directly across the street from Abbott Middle School and kitty-corner from Orchard Lake St. Mary's Preparatory High School

The thieves stole several long guns and ammunition, though it's unclear if the ammunition matched the stolen weapons.

"If they were looking for something specific in terms of ammunition, they probably didn't get it," Keego Harbor Police Chief John Fitzgerald said. "They were in and out of there pretty quickly because the alarm went off."

Police recovered some ammunition at the scene and they found the sledgehammer as well and processed it. Fitzgerald asked the public to help identify the thieves.

"The clothing is distinctive enough that someone could recognize it," Fitzgerald said. "If someone knows something or recognizes the people or their clothing from the photos, we'd appreciate a call."

Fitzgerald said investigators also would be interested in talking to anyone who drove past the store around that time. Orchard Lake Road is busy enough to draw some traffic, even at 3:30 a.m.

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Roosevelt Elementary School is about a mile north of the store and West Bloomfield High School is about two miles south of it on the same road.

The security camera photos of the suspects show two people in jackets with hoods pulled up over their heads.

West Bloomfield Schools Superintendent Gerald Hill alerted parents in an email late Wednesday, noting that "In the images, the perpetrators appear to be a pair of pre-teen individuals."

Fitzgerald said he couldn't confirm the age of the suspects but school officials weren't taking any chances.

"We have absolutely no reason be believe there is any need for students, staff, and families to worry at this time; these added elements of security are simply precautionary measures to ensure the safety and security of everyone in each one of our buildings," Hill wrote in an email, which included the photos the police had released.

The district planned beefed up security at Abbott, Roosevelt, West Bloomfield High School and Orchard Lake Middle School, which is farther south on Orchard Lake Road.

By early this morning, high school students were sharing the photos on Snapchat and urging caution among their classmates. A West Bloomfield Police patrol car was parked in front of the High School this morning and officers and administrators were walking the halls.

Anyone with information about the break-in is asked to contact Keego Harbor Police Detective Robert Barnes at 248-682-3030 or by email at barnes@khpd.org.

Contact John Wisely: 313-222-6825 or jwisely@freepress.com On Twitter @jwisely