Police Blotter: Police Respond to Calls at Papa Joe's and Kroger

Here's a wrap-up of this week's news from the t:

Bloomfield Township woman caught taking food from Papa Joe's

 A 76-year-old woman was charged with retail fraud for allegedly taking several items from . According to police reports, the woman entered the store around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday with a Sam’s Club bag.

Employees say they watched her place several fresh food items in her bag, then walk past the cashiers and leave the store. Police reports state an employee stopped the woman outside, asking to see a receipt for the food. The woman said she didn’t have one. The woman reportedly asked that police not be called, put the food down on the sidewalk and drove away.

She was stopped by officers at Woodward Avenue and Maple Road who found she was from Bloomfield Township. The value of the food taken from the store was $41.28. After being charged with third-degree retail fraud, she was released.

Kroger catches two shoplifters within half an hour

Birmingham police responded to two cases of theft on Monday at the  store  at Woodward Avenue and Maple Road.

According to police reports, store employees watched a 23-year-old man enter the store around 4 p.m. and go directly to the health and beauty area. Employees told police they saw the man take several items from the shelf and put them inside his coat. Loss prevention personnel followed the man outside, where he was stopped and questioned. 

The man, from Clinton Township, admitted taking the items, worth $1,062, and returned them. He was taken into custody and charged with first-degree retail fraud.

While Kroger employees were questioning the Clinton Township man in the main office, police said employees observed a group of young men enter the store and go to the liquor section. Using surveillance cameras, police reports state they monitored the group and saw one of the boys take a bottle of vodka and put it in his pants. The group went to the bathroom and then left.

According to police reports, the group was stopped outside the store and the boy, a 17-year-old from Beverly Hills, returned the vodka, valued at $13.

While the boy was being taken back into the store, police arrived to deal with the first theft. The boy was charged with third-degree retail fraud and for being a minor in possession of alcohol. He was later released to his parents.

If you have any tips, contact the Birmingham Police Department at 248-530-1889.