FERNDALE (WWJ) – Three men accused of impersonating police and robbing a man in Ferndale over the summer have been charged with multiple felonies.
Trevor Glenn of West Bloomfield and Edward Clay and Bernard Gardner, both from Detroit, were arraigned Friday on felony charges of home invasion, first-degree armed robbery and three counts of felony firearm.
The charges stem from an early-morning robbery at a home on West Woodland Street, near Woodward and 9 Mile, on Aug. 4.
Around 5:30 a.m. that Friday morning, officials say four men who were impersonating police officers approached a 65-year-old man as he left his home. They then allegedly handcuffed him and entered his home.
The victim was not injured. Officials did not say what the men allegedly took from the home.
Investigators were able to use Ferndale's newly acquired Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader technology to identify the suspects. A joint investigation with the FBI Oakland County Violent Crimes and Gangs Task Force led to the execution of search warrants at four different locations.
During those searches authorities recovered evidence connected to the Ferndale robbery, along with 20 illegal firearms, high-capacity magazines, narcotics, and more than 800 rounds of ammunition. Officials say some of the firearms were stolen and/or altered.
"The defendants who impersonated law enforcement officers took advantage of the trust that exists between law enforcement and the communities they serve in Michigan," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
Clay, 43, Glenn, 37, and Gardner, 31, were all arraigned on Dec. 8 and given a $250,000 cash/surety bond. Their next court appearances are scheduled for Dec. 18.
While Ferndale police officials said four men posed as police officers the morning of the robbery, it was not clear if a fourth suspect will face charges.
