Michael Chabot had a simple Monday morning planned: Wake up, get ready for work, get in his Jeep Grand Cherokee and head off to his job.
That plan was immediately thrown off kilter when he discovered the Grand Cherokee was no longer in his driveway.
Chabot contacted dispatchers and Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies came to his home on San Juan Court in Unadilla Township. He was shocked when deputies showed him pictures of a burned out shell of a vehicle - his Grand Cherokee.
“I came to the realization that was the end of me and my car,” he said.
According to an Unadilla Township police statement, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered the Jeep Grand Cherokee fully engulfed in flames at 3:40 a.m. Monday in a swamp 100 feet from Boyce Road between Joslin Lake and Roepke roads in Lyndon Township.
Chabot’s Grand Cherokee was stolen during a crime spree on San Juan Court. According to Unadilla Township police, the other two homes on the block were broken into as was another vehicle. A shotgun, hunting gear and thousands of dollars worth of power tools and hand tools were stolen from the vehicle and homes.
Chabot said he had stored about $30,000 worth of work equipment in his Grand Cherokee. All of those items were reported stolen, he said.
Police said it’s believed the thefts occurred between 11:30 p.m. Sunday and 3:30 a.m. Monday.
Chabot said he’s hopeful suspects might be found. He said investigators found fingerprints on different items, including liquor bottles that the thieves apparently drank from. Also, piece of equipment was thrown from Chabot’s vehicle onto the ground, he said.
“Something’s out there that’s going to give fingerprints and give an idea of who it was,” he said.
Michigan Arson Control is offering a reward of up to $5,000 and Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the incident. Anyone with information on the incident is encouraged to call the Unadilla Township police at 734-498-2325 ext. 307, Crime Stoppers at 1-800 SPEAK UP (773-2587) or Michigan Arson Control at 1-800-44 ARSON (2-7766).
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.