Troy Police Arrest Men For Stealing From Locker Room

TROY (WWJ) - Police in Troy have arrested two men in connection with multiple reports of stolen items from a sports center locker room.

Twenty-seven-year-old Joseph Jason Dalessandro, of Sterling Heights, was arraigned and charged on Wednesday with larceny in a building. A second suspect was released pending further investigation.

After 11 members of a high school hockey team reported missing cash and electronics from the locker room at Troy Sports Center, police set up a surveillance operation to catch the thieves.

Hockey players told police their belongings were stolen while the team was playing a game last Saturday,  during which the main locker room door was locked. Further investigation suggested the suspects gained entry to the locker room through the unlocked bathroom door.

Officers were able to develop information that led them to believe the suspects would return to the arena with the intent of committing more larcenies. On Monday, police set up surveillance and observed two suspects in the sports center parking lot.

Police watched as Dalessandro entered the arena and proceed into an ice rink locker room. Officers entered the locker room shortly thereafter and found him reaching into a sports bag. Dalessandro admitted to having items in his pocket that he had taken from another bag in the locker room.

Both suspects were arrested and both gave statements implicating their involvement in the hocky team thefts.

Dalessandro was ordered held on $10,000 bail with surety.

Police are not yet sure if the suspects are responsible for other recent thefts at numerous sports arenas, workout facilities and other athletic locations in the area.