Car thief steals vehicle with baby inside

A car is stolen from a grocery store parking lot in Monroe with a 2-year-old boy sleeping in the back seat.

Investigators say that child is now safe and the man who allegedly stole the car, is in jail after being found squatting in Northville.

Monroe police say the person taken into custody is 32-year-old Michael Messer from Monroe County.

He was accused of stealing a vehicle out of their county with a child inside. The child was recovered safely a short time later after being dropped off in the bathroom in a Burger King on S. Huron Road, east of I-275.

Messer has allegedly committed other crimes in Northville and Dearborn.

On Tuesday police converged on River Street and Seven Mile in Northville after being alerted about Messer in the house.

It all started Monday when the current renter came to remove some items to move out and noticed him.

"When he went in the residence, he encountered a white male suspect," said Northville Police Chief Michael Carlson. "The suspect said he had permission to be there during the encounter and then he left. After he left, the renter determined it to be a lie."

On Tuesday police received a call from a concerned resident that there was a strange vehicle in the driveway. Officers realized it was stolen and saw a man inside the home fitting the description of the person the renter encountered.

"We contacted the renter and home owner and they confirmed nobody should have been in the house," Carlson said. "We made entry and took subject into custody without incident."

Police say this investigation is ongoing and they are working to determine charges and they say it's thanks to concerned citizens that they were able to capture the suspect.

"Nothing is as good as when citizens come forward and see something suspicious,” Carlson said. “(And) gives us a call. That's exactly what happened here.”