Cop asks business owner for protection money
WHAT A HEEL: DTE Energy has repossessed 1,400 light poles from the Detroit suburb Highland Park because of an overdue electric bill that runs to $4 million. But the utility – which is working with the city to replace the lights at street corners and in front of schools – is not the villain of this tale. It’s the police officer who asked Bobby Hargrove, owner of Hargrove Machinery Sales, for money to “beef up his protection” after someone stole an air conditioning unit from the roof of his business, The Detroit News reports:
"He contacted me about a week after my air conditioner was stolen and told me he'd make sure my place didn't get broken into – if I paid him $650 every two weeks," he said. "That's like paying protection to the Mafia."
Hargrove reported the alleged incident to city officials. [Highland Park Mayor Hubert Yopp] said he's investigating the claim.
"Our residents already pay for police protection; we'd better not be charging them twice," he said. "I'm definitely going to get to the bottom of this."
Comments