By Norman Sinclair
The Detroit News
DETROIT, Mich. — Alan Patterson may not be a burglar but, as the old saying goes, he has the nerves of one.
The 26-year-old Detroiter walked into police headquarters at 1300 Beaubien Thursday afternoon carrying a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson and a bogus concealed weapons permit and went to the second floor to register the handgun.
When Officer Braxton Hall looked at Patterson’s permit to begin the registration process, he immediately became suspicious.
“The print caught my eye. It didn’t look right and then I noticed the permit had no seal,” Hall said. “He said he used the permit to purchase the gun.”
The 10-year veteran ran the information on the permit through a computer check, which came up with “no available data”. Hall then entered Patterson’s name through the Law Enforcement Information Network’s database, which showed he was wanted on five outstanding warrants. Three were for failure to appear in court on an assault and battery case and two traffic cases. One was for violation of probation and the fifth was for loitering.
Hall said without alarming Patterson, he went to another office to get backup, then handcuffed Patterson and arrested him. Police are seeking additional warrants for document fraud and felony firearm.
“This just shows the expertise of the men and women working on this department,” said department spokesman James Tate.
“If someone is as brazen as that to come into police headquarters to register a gun with a bogus permit, just think what they might (do).”
Copyright 2007 The Detroit News