Sleeping bandit: suspect naps until he has store to self, steal $100k in jewelry

CLINTON TWP, Mich. (WJBK) - A thief in Clinton Township thought he had it all figured out: knock off the K-Mart jewelry section and get away scot-free. Maybe he should have gotten a bit more rest.

The wannabe criminal was inside the K-Mart store and took a nap while he waited for the store to close up shop.

When they locked the doors in August, he made his move and grabbed $100,000 worth of jewelry by the handful.

"[He] loaded it into a black bag and then took it out the garden side door. Went to a getaway car that was waiting just a short distance away," Det. Joseph Burns said.

Police said he arrived at the store the night before and then - he wasn't visible until 5 a.m. the the next day. What was he doing? Taking a nap.

"He actually slept in the store in the clothing rack," Burns said.

Since that August day, a lot has changed. The K-Mart at Groesbeck and 15 Mile is now closed and vacant. But the case is still open.

K-Mart is still out $100,000 so the company's loss prevention spent hours combing through video to find the guy. When they did, they handed it over tot he Clinton Township Police. They'd been building a case against him with the help of an informant.

The jewelry was gone - about a thousand miles away.

"The suspect had actually taken the jewelry and pawned it in Florida," Burns said.

But - the cops didn't rest and they now have enough to charge Patrick Duty with the crime. He's been hit with a 10 year felony charge.

And police hope they will be able to close a couple more cases thanks to this well rested, habitual offender.