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Crime & Safety

Theft, Graffiti and Arson Reported at Dearborn Parks

Several destructive acts occurred over the past week at Ford Woods, Crowley and Levagood Parks. The following information was supplied by the Dearborn Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

Local criminals set their sights on several of Dearborn's parks and pools during the past week, according to reports filed with the .

On Aug. 28, an employee of came in at 11:30 a.m. to find that the pool house had been broken into and $40 had been stolen, according to a report filed. The employee verified that the pool house had been locked and secured at 7:30 p.m. the previous night. But that morning, he said, the main door to the pool house was open and the chain lock had been removed.

Also on Aug. 28, an employee of reported that he found a vending machine had been damaged at Dunworth Pool.

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According to the employee, the area was secure at 10:15 p.m. the night before. When he arrived at 7 a.m. that morning, he found that the vending machine door had been broken open and a part ripped out. He was unsure if anything was missing.

The ownership of the machine was unclear, as it did not belong to the city.

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On Aug. 31, vandalism was reported at . A city employee reported to police that some time between 8:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. that day, someone had spray painted "ZAR" on the first and third stalls in the men's bathroom.

The strangest of all four park- or pool-related cases was reported as happening between 10 p.m. Aug. 31 and 8:45 a.m. Sept. 1. The same employee who notified police about the break-in at Ford Woods Pool the previous weekend called the Dearborn Fire Department to report what appeared to be a case of arson.

According to police and fire investigation, it appeared as though someone had broken into the pool house basement and set it ablaze for reasons unknown.

Police said the unknown suspect had broken into the vent on the basement door, reaching in to unlock the door. The person then used a red gas can–which was left at the scene–to pour gas on the stairway and ignite it. Luckily, the pool house is made entirely of non-combustible materials, so the damage was limited to smoke damage, melted paint and charring.

In all cases, no suspects were identified. Dearborn police did not indicate that the cases were related.

For more information on this blotter, email jessica.carreras@patch.com.

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