Byers

FHS student charged in burglary may be illegally enrolled, police say

By Jeremy Selweski
C & G Staff Writer

FERNDALE — Police are investigating to determine whether a Ferndale High School student who was arrested for breaking into a woman’s house was also enrolled illegally at the school.

On March 4, Rondell Byers, 17, was arraigned on charges of second-degree home invasion — a 15-year felony — in Ferndale 43rd District Court. He was freed after posting $1,000 bond.

According to Detective Lt. Bill Wilson, on March 1, Ferndale police were contacted by a homeowner in the 900 block of Emwill Street. The woman reported that her home had been burglarized sometime during the past four days. The thief had broken a bedroom window and ransacked the house, she said, but at first it appeared that nothing had been stolen.

The next day, Ferndale officers responded to a call on Farmdale Street, just a few blocks away from Emwill, where a woman said that a man had just attempted to enter her home. She gave the officers a description of the suspect, and they were quickly able to track Byers down and arrest him.

“We found him over on Pinecrest (Drive), near the high school,” Wilson said. “He had some property from the Emwill house in his possession.”

During the arrest, the officers found that Byers was carrying a woman’s wristwatch belonging to the victim. The officers then informed FHS Principal Herbert Ivory about the incident. While searching Byers’ locker, Ivory discovered a camera that was also stolen during the burglary.

“(The victim) did not notice that anything was missing initially,” Wilson explained. “But after we caught (Byers), she realized that her watch and camera had both been taken from the house.”

Wilson added that police are still trying to establish whether Byers is a legitimate student at FHS, but the investigation could take several days.

“At this point, we don’t know for sure if this kid was (enrolled illegally),” he said. “But he told us he lived in Detroit when we arrested him. He claimed that he used his grandmother’s address in Ferndale to enroll at the high school.”

Officials from Ferndale Public Schools could not be reached for comment at press time.

Byers is scheduled to appear in Ferndale District Court for a pre-exam conference at 1 p.m. on March 18.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Selweski at jselweski@candgnews.com or at (586) 218-5004.