Detroit man charged in Grosse Pointe Farms robbery; lockdown at middle school lifted
(CBS DETROIT) - Grosse Pointe Farms police have charged a man in connection to a robbery at a grocery store. A lockdown initiated at a middle school in the area Thursday has now been lifted.
Police say that at 7:40 a.m., the suspect entered Village Food Market at Mack and McKinley avenues.
An employee confronted the suspect, and the suspect pulled a gun out. Authorities later learned that this was a fake gun.
After that, the suspect left the store and was last seen walking eastbound down Mack Avenue toward Moran Road.
Grosse Pointe Farms Public Safety and other mutual aid cities established a perimeter and searched the area for the suspect.
Police said Brownell Middle School was advised to go on lockdown as a precaution due to its proximity.
The lockdown was lifted after a second sweep of the area.
The suspect wore tan pants, a dark jacket and possibly an Amazon vest.
Officers searched yards in the Mack and Chalfonte area as they searched for the suspect.
The suspect was arrested and identified as Harold Edward Smith, 53, of Detroit.
He was charged with armed robbery, and his arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 20.
Anyone with any information or video footage of this incident was asked to contact Grosse Pointe Farms detectives at (313)-885-2100.
