15-year-old accused of stealing over $100K worth of marijuana after smashing window to break into Royal Oak dispensary

ROYAL OAK (WWJ) — A Royal Oak teen is in custody after allegedly stealing more than $100,000 worth of products from a cannabis store last weekend.

The 15-year-old boy was taken into custody Monday morning in connection with a break-in at the Gatsby Cannabis Company on Meijer Drive — near 14 Mile and Coolidge — early Saturday morning, Royal Oak police officials said Wednesday.

Shortly before 2 a.m. on Aug. 3 police were called to the dispensary after getting a call about a burglary alarm. When officers showed up they found a smashed-out window and saw that the store had been ransacked.

On Monday Royal Oak detectives, along with members of the Troy Police Special Investigations Unit, conducted a search warrant at the suspect's home in Royal Oak.

Authorities recovered more than $100,000 worth of stolen marijuana and cannabis-related merchandise and took the juvenile suspect into custody. Investigators also determined the juvenile, whose name has not been released, is suspected of fleeing from a Royal Oak officer at high speeds prior to the cannabis store burglary after the officer terminated the chase.

He is also suspected of being responsible for a home invasion on July 26 on McClean Avenue near Lincoln and Campbell, according to police.

“Our investigators quickly identified the suspect in this case and worked as a team to safely arrest this juvenile suspect and recover an astounding amount of evidence,” Chief Michael Moore said, per a press release.

The suspect has been charged with breaking and entering a business, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, as well as third-degree fleeing or eluding police, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Officials did not release any charging information about the alleged home invasion

The teen is currently being held at Oakland County Children’s Village.

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