Overview

• During extra patrols early Monday, an officer near 12 Mile and Drake requested a drone after noticing interior lights on in several parked cars.
• The drone’s thermal camera detected a heat signature and directed officers to a wooded area where the suspect was located and arrested without incident.
• Police report that recovered items and other evidence connect the 17-year-old from Novi to a series of thefts from unlocked vehicles in the neighborhood.
• The juvenile was released to a guardian, and no charges have been filed as the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office Juvenile Division conducts its review.
• Officials say the department operates with 16 drone pilots and four drones and continue to urge residents to lock vehicles and remove valuables.