Convicted burglar caught again invading homes, police say
Records show suspect committed St. Clair Shores burglaries in 2012
A man who committed a string of home invasions in St. Clair Shores 11 years ago was captured over the weekend in the same act in the same city, moments after he committed one nearby, police believe.
Robert John Morey, 60, of St. Clair Shores, was arraigned Monday by Judge Mark Fratarcangeli in 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores with two counts of second-degree home invasion and one count of receiving and concealing stolen property between $1,000 and $20,000, as well as a fourth-habitual status.
Police said they received a report at about 7:50 p.m. Saturday of a break-in of an unoccupied home in the 19000 block of California Street near Nine Mile Road and Interstate-94. While responding to that call, officers received a report of a second home invasion at an unoccupied home one street north, on Maxine Street, police said.
When officers arrived on Maxine, Morey was in the act of the burglary, stealing several pieces of jewelry and carrying a backpack in which to load items, police said. Morey ran out a back door and led police officer Travis Kaufman and his K9 partner on a short chase, after which he was captured, police said.
Morey was bitten by the dog three times in the head and neck area.
Stolen items were confiscated, including necklaces, rings and a watch that were taken from the California home, police said.
Morey was being held Tuesday in the Macomb County Jail in lieu of a $75,000 bond and faces a probable-cause conference next Tuesday in front of Judge Craigen Oster in 40th District Court.
In 2012, Morey was convicted by plea of eight home invasions in St. Clair Shores, seven in the second-degree (meaning unoccupied), one attempted first degree, and one receiving and concealing property charge for which he was sentenced by then Macomb Circuit Judge David Viiviano to seven to 15 years in prison, according to circuit court and Michigan Department of Corrections records. Morey was released in 2021 after serving about nine years in jail.
He also has other prior convictions. He was convicted of two 2002 second-degree home invasions in Macomb County for which he was sentenced to five to 22-1/2 years for one offense and 2-1/2 to 15 years in the second case, and served about eight years, records say
In 1992, he was convicted of two counts of breaking and entering a building for which he was sentenced to three to 22-1/2 years, and served about eight years, MDOC records say.
He was convicted in 1983 of a burglary in Wayne County for which he was sentenced to four to 15 years and served nearly seven years, MDOC records say.