ID Thief Takes Tax Return; Shoplifting at Whole Foods

 reports from Feb. 27-March 4 included 73 alarms, 32 crashes and eight arrests. Among the highlights:

Identity theft claims local man's tax return

A 48-year-old West Bloomfield resident is still trying to figure out the state of his 2010 taxes after reporting to police March 1 that he was a victim of identity theft last April, according to Police Lt. Tim Diamond.

Diamond explained that the man who reported the incident said that he initially attempted to file his federal taxes last year on April 15, but said that due to problems with the filing software Turbotax, it wouldn't go through until the next day. The man recently reported to the Internal Revenue Service that he hadn't received his expected return, Diamond said, and was told that the IRS had mailed the return to an address in Detroit.

Suspecting identity theft, the man was able to infer that the check had been mailed to a vacant lot and reported it to police, Diamond said.

Shoplifter arrested at Whole Foods

A 65-year-old Southfield woman was arrested at  March 4 after she was seen stuffing skin oil and fish oil into her purse, according to Diamond.

Diamond said that around 4 p.m., police dispatchers received a call that a woman had been caught trying to leave the store after allegedly shoplifting Jarrow formula Max DHA brand fish oil supplements and Dr. Hauschka brand skin oil (total value about $74), in addition to items which she had purchased. She was issued a citation and released.

Parthenon employee's car damaged

All four tires were slashed and the driver's side car door keyed on the vehicle of a 36-year-old woman's vehicle after her shift at the  restaurant Feb. 28, according to Diamond.

The reporting person, a Wixom resident, had her car parked in back of the restaurant where other employees park; she worked from 5 to 10:15 p.m. that night, Diamond said. She told police she does not know who caused the damage, but suspects it may have been within her family, Diamond added.

There was no surveillance footage taken. The incident is under investigation.

If you have any information about these incidents, you can call West Bloomfield Police at (248) 975-9200. For questions about this report, email tim.rath@patch.com.