Appliances targeted in vacant Hazel Park house break-ins

Hazel Park string of break-ins clean out appliances from vacant homes

Big-ticket appliances are being targeted in the break-ins.

HAZEL PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Big appliances — bigger headaches after thieves stole refrigerators, ovens and even washers and dryers from at least five different vacant homes in Hazel Park.

The backstory:

At least five vacant homes were broken into, leaving residents on edge and police on the lookout. Right now police said they have happened out on Chestnut, Hazelwood, Hayes and Harry streets.

A lock box was cut through by thieves who then made their way inside. This has been happening through a group of different Hazel Park neighborhoods, including just half a mile down the road.

Appliances are then targeted and taken out by the thieves.

Dal Bouey is the homeowner who made the discovery while showing the home.

FOX 2: "How frustrating was this for you when you came in here and you saw all this stuff missing?"

"I think i was having an out of body experience because I was showing it to a tenant at the time and it was it and I was numb," she said. "I think I left my body a little bit. I’ve never had that happen before and I couldn’t believe ... I tried to process it at the same time makes sense out of it like, how did this happen, when did this happen, and was it somebody I let in?"

It was definitely a big shock to neighbors as well.

"You just hate to see stuff like that going on," said Nico Tiberia. "It’s such a small community. The police have a big presence around here, you can’t go around the block without seeing one. It’s surprising its happening here and hopefully, they do something to stop it."

"People in the neighborhood they don’t look and say 'You don’t live there what are you doing?' No, it’s like people are coming and working on the property like contractors," Bouey said. "So to the neighbors they wouldn’t know somebody coming here isn’t supposed to be here.

If you’ve got any information give Hazel Park police a call at 248-542-6161.