WARREN (WWJ) – The Warren Police Department says a resident has been arrested and charged for a string of break-ins at churches in the city.
Warren Police say Andre Lane, 37, was charged with several felonies in connection with a serial burglary spree targeting local churches.
The eight burglaries happened between March 31 and April 20, 2026. Each time, officers would respond to forced-entry at churches throughout the city. All eight cases happened overnight.
The department assigned two detectives to the case. They were able to identify a pattern in the crimes. Lane is accused of busting out the church windows or doors to get inside – before rummaging through office paperwork and tampering with the building’s security systems.
According to the department, the detectives went through several hours of surveillance footage. They say he approached the buildings on the same beach cruiser bicycle and wore specific clothing.
A computer allegedly stolen during one incident was the break in the case. Lane allegedly used it to conduct several online transactions. Detectives searched records and identified Andre Lane as the suspect.
They watched Lane leave his Warren apartment wearing the same clothes, which were similar to those worn by the suspect in the break-ins.
Lane was taken into custody and officers executed search warrants at several locations associated with him. The department said they recovered the stolen property, including some financial items linked to the burglarized churches. The department did not specifically say what was stolen.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office charged Lane with eight counts of breaking & entering a building with intent and one count of illegal use of a Financial Transaction Device.
Lane has previous convictions for theft, assault, and multiple home invasions. He was also charged as a habitual 4th offender and was an active parole absconder for home invasion crimes at the time of these burglaries.
Warren Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins said “this total department effort demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting our community’s sacred spaces, and we hope this apprehension brings a sense of peace back to the congregations affected by these crimes.”
Lane was ordered held on a $800,000 bond. He will be back in court for a hearing on May 19.
