Organized Scheme Unfolds at Maple Hill Pavilion and Westmain Shopping Center

*OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, Mich.* — An organized candy theft scheme has swept through two Kalamazoo County strip malls, with law enforcement investigating dozens of cases involving children and their parents allegedly stealing candy from stores and reselling the stolen goods for profit.

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office is investigating 31 cases of children and parents selling stolen candy, said Michelle Greenlee, Kalamazoo County undersheriff.

"The thefts prompted the Oshtemo Township Board of Trustees to pass an ordinance requiring sellers obtain a license from the township, which gives law enforcement more freedom to question the sellers," Greenlee said.

The scheme has become a serious concern for retail workers and store employees, who are reporting the thefts daily to law enforcement.

How the Operation Works

According to James Porter, attorney for Oshtemo Township, the operation follows a specific pattern:

  • Parents drive children to stores like Target, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Walgreens, and other retail locations
  • Children run inside stores and take boxes of candy
  • Stolen candy is resold at nearby stores for up to $90 per box

"Parents help the children by driving them to the various locations," Porter said. "The kids can make up to $90 per box of the stolen candy."

"Target will call and say, 'the candy boys are here!' The stores are saying, 'please, for the love of God and all that's holy, will you put a stop to this? It's terrible,' they're losing a lot," Porter said.

The Maple Hill Pavilion at 5022 W. Main St. and the Westmain Shopping Center at 5125 W. Main St. are the primary targets of this operation.

Targeted Stores Include Family Dollar, Target, Dollar Tree, and Walgreens

Greenlee confirmed that the children are hitting specific stores with regularity:

  • Family Dollar stores in the Maple Hill Pavilion
  • Dollar Tree locations in the Maple Hill Pavilion
  • Target stores in the Maple Hill Pavilion
  • Walgreens in the Maple Hill Pavilion

After stealing candy from these locations, the children cross West Main Street and sell the stolen goods at:

  • Kohl's in the Westmain Shopping Center
  • Harding's Marketplace in the Westmain Shopping Center
  • Lowe's in the Westmain Shopping Center

"The kids target Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Target and Walgreens in the Maple Hill Pavilion to allegedly steal the candy. They then cross West Main Street and sell the stolen candy outside Kohl's, Harding's Marketplace and Lowe's in the Westmain Shopping Center," Greenlee said.

Aggressive Behavior Reported by Customers

According to Greenlee, the sheriff's office has received "quite a number of complaints" from department stores and customers alike.

"Employees at stores like Target have called law enforcement, reporting the 'candy boys' inside the store," Greenlee said. "There have been multiple complaints about the kids being aggressive."

"Customers reporting the kids are being 'aggressive or harassing,' Greenlee said.

Township Takes Action with New Ordinance

The Oshtemo Township Board of Trustees responded quickly to the escalating situation. On March 24, the board unanimously passed an ordinance requiring anyone selling goods outside a commercial establishment to either:

  • Be part of a registered charitable organization, or
  • Hold a township-issued Hawkers and Peddlers license

The new ordinance was specifically designed to close a legal loophole that had prevented law enforcement from taking action against these unauthorized sales.

"What that will allow our officers to do is when they approach these youths to say, 'do you have a license? No. Is your organization registered? No. You are in violation of a local ordinance,'" Porter said.

According to officials, the goal is not to impede on any legitimate fundraising or charitable activities. The ordinance is intended to target unauthorized sales that are actually theft operations.

Criminal Charges Under Consideration

Some parents have already been charged with criminal offenses related to the candy theft scheme. Law enforcement is still awaiting charges from the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor's Office for the children involved.

"Greenlee said charges of organized retail fraud are being considered, but could not provide more details."

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that investigations are ongoing and could result in criminal charges against participants in the scheme.

Community Impact

The candy theft scheme has created tension in the Oshtemo Township community, affecting both businesses and residents. Store employees are reporting the thefts regularly to law enforcement, and customers are expressing frustration over the aggressive behavior of the children involved.

"The stores are saying, 'please, for the love of God and all that's holy, will you put a stop to this? It's terrible,' they're losing a lot," Porter said.

Retail workers at the targeted stores have become vigilant, watching for groups of children who may be attempting to steal candy and calling law enforcement immediately.

What's Next

As the investigation continues, authorities are working to identify all participants in the scheme, including the parents allegedly helping their children and organizing the reselling operation.

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office is treating this as an organized retail fraud case, which carries serious criminal penalties under Michigan law.

"She said investigations are underway that could result in criminal charges, but was unable to share more details."

The situation highlights the challenges facing law enforcement when dealing with sophisticated criminal schemes that exploit legal loopholes and involve multiple participants working together.