Crime Log: CMU police investigate FBI tip, fraudulent internships
The following incidents were among those handled by the Central Michigan University Police Department from Sept. 16-21.
Sept. 16
CMU police investigated a suspicious situations report around 3 p.m. involving a CMU faculty member who received a suspicious email from a former student. Lt. Cameron Wassman said a 56-year-old female faculty member received an email from a 35-year-old man who was a former student. The email allegedly said the former student dreamt about the female faculty member, and that he wanted to "reach out and say hi," Wassman said. The incident was reported by the victim's husband. No threats were made, so police advised the former student to counseling services.
A 25-year-old female student caused a disturbance in a CMU classroom around 3:15 p.m., which led to police conducting a welfare check after the incident was reported at 4:25 p.m. Wassman said there was a verbal argument where the student allegedly broke her own glasses and threw them at the professor, a 52-year-old woman. Police made contact with the student, where she admitted to the verbal argument but denied breaking and throwing her own glasses. The student apologized to the faculty member and has denied counseling, police said.
Sept. 17
Police investigated two cases of bike larceny on Sept. 17. The first incident involved a 10-speed bike valued at $200, which police said was last seen two weeks ago near the Woldt/Emmons entrance. Police said the bike was unlocked and was not registered with CMUPD. The bike belonged to a 19-year-old woman. The incident has been entered as stolen in a national database.
In the second bike larceny case, a bike was taken but later returned to a bike rack outside of Herrig Hall. Police said the bike, which was unlocked, was taken around 3 p.m. on Sept. 17. Through video surveillance, police learned the suspect took the bike, rode it around campus and returned the bike shortly after 6 p.m. When police made contact with the 18-year-old male suspect, he allegedly told police he simply needed a quick ride and didn't think much of it. The victim, an 18-year-old woman, did not press criminal charges. The incident was forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct.
Sept. 18
A 40-year-old woman who was allegedly intoxicated was arrested for disorderly conduct at 4:50 p.m. Police said the woman was riding a Greyhound bus when the bus driver pulled over on Broomfield Street and called police because the woman was allegedly yelling and grabbing other people. Police escorted the woman off the bus, but she continued to act highly agitated. The woman was arrested and taken to Isabella County Jail.
Police conducted a welfare check at 3:45 p.m. after an individual allegedly made suicidal comments.
CMUPD responded to a suicide attempt at 9:20 p.m. which was unrelated to the previous incident that afternoon.
Sept. 19
CMUPD received a tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that someone may have been selling narcotics from Calkins Hall. Police went to the residence hall at 7 p.m. and made contact with the suspect, a 20-year-old man, who denied being a drug dealer. He consented to officers searching his area of his room. Police found a small amount of marijuana wax, which was confiscated. No criminal charges were placed.
Police investigated a larceny report of a stolen game system from Kulhavi Hall at 1:19 p.m. Wassman said a 21-year-old man purposely left a gaming system in the hall's lobby for everyone to use. When the system went missing, police looked through surveillance videos to identify the person who took it. The suspect, a 23-year-old man, was contacted by police and admitted to taking the equipment. The suspect returned the equipment, and the victim is not pursuing criminal charges, Wassman said.
Sept. 20
CMU police are still investigating a case of fraudulent email scams that were reported on Sept. 20. There have been three reported incidents where individuals received emails about internship opportunities that were later determined to be fraudulent. In these cases, a fraudulent business reached out to victims asking them to purchase gift cards, scratch off the back and send pictures of the codes. Of the three victims who received the email, two complied with the requests. Wassman said there has been about $1,200 in stolen money. There are no suspects at this time, he said.
Sept. 21
While on patrol, CMU police saw a car parked at a dead-end on Able Road near Denison Street at 9:40 p.m. Officers made contact with the two individuals in the car, who admitted to having consumed marijuana. The individuals, an 18-year-old man and 19-year-old man, voluntarily surrendered 0.7 ounces of marijuana. Both were issued civil infraction citations for marijuana use.
