GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Police Department is asking the public for help in locating a suspect in a string of breaking and entering incidents in West Michigan.
Nehemiah Chilton, 18, is believed to have been involved in over 30 burglaries at stores in Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said the burglaries began in July and were mostly of liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries.
"Nehemiah Chilton is a person of interest in over 30 burglaries, two businesses that we've been experiencing here in Grand Rapids since the beginning of July, and potentially many more across the entire West Michigan area," said Winstrom.
The most recent burglary that Chilton is believed to have been involved in happened this week.
He is also wanted in connection to burglaries across Kent County and the Portage and Kalamazoo areas. Chilton is believed to have stolen nine vehicles in Grand Rapids and used them during the burglaries.
Winstrom said three individuals that were working with Chilton have been identified and are facing various charges related to the incidents. He stressed how important it is that they also catch Chilton, describing the burglaries.
"The MO of this sort of burglary crew is they will go and steal a car, and then use that car to do smash them smash and grab burglaries, sometimes they'll use the vehicle itself to smash the door, in on several occasions, they've done more than one either liquor store dispensary, or both in the same night."
Winstrom told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that crimes like this have been increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I haven't seen anything like this in all my years of experience," said Winstrom. "It's a crime that's really gotten more popular since 2020. And part of it is the increase in the stolen keys and Hyundai's that it became much easier to steal those vehicles. It became popular through social media to steal those vehicles."
Winstrom said that because they are able to use a stolen car suspects typically think investigators will have a hard time identifying them, however, he said that is not the case.
"Our detectives have done some excellent work and established the fact that this same group is responsible for dozens and dozens of these burglaries," said Winstrom.
Winstrom also gave some advice to prevent car theft, "Not everyone has a garage so then the safest area you can park it on the street parked in a well lit area park where there's pedestrian traffic, if those aren't options, and even if those are options, it's helpful to have a steering wheel lock because there are certain models of cars which are very easy to steal within 90 seconds or even less with just a flathead screwdriver really."
Police say not to approach Chilton if you see him. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Grand Rapids detectives at 616-456-3380. Tips can be sent anonymously through Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or www.silentobserver.org.
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