Body Found in White Lake Subdivision; Canton Resident, Detroit Police Officer Charged for Several Local Robberies

Area Patch sites provided the following reports. In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation and not evidence of guilt.

White Lake-Highland Patch

A body was found in the thicket of a field near Village Acres Subdivision off Union Lake Road in White Lake.

Lt. Don Nankervis with the White Lake Police Department said the body is likely that of a 40-year-old man reported missing in the area in mid-February - but police are still waiting for a positive identification.

"It appears the man died from exposure, there were no signs of foul play," Nankervis said.

The body had been there for at least a few weeks before being discovered by a group of kids on Saturday. Nankervis said it was badly decomposed.

Plymouth-Canton Patch

Detroit Police Officer and Canton resident Clifton Whatley was arraigned in court Thursday for allegedly organizing several robberies in Wayne County, according to an article in the Observer & Eccentric.

One of the robberies Whatley is suspected of organizing is the Feb. 6 armed robbery of the Family Dollar on Joy Road in Canton.

According to the Observer & Eccentric, Whatley, 34, is also a suspect in robberies in Taylor, Westland, Harper Woods and Melvindale that have occurred during the past year. A second suspect, Layman D. Armstrong, was also arraigned Thursday.

Whatley has been a police officer since 2000 and now faces charges of armed robbery, bank robbery, unlawful imprisonment, conducting a criminal enterprise, and felony firearm,according to the article.

According to WDIV-Channel 4, Whatley is accused of using his position as a police officer and family connections to orchestrate the crimes.

According to WDIV, Whatley denies having any roll in the crimes.

Whately is due back in court on April 8 and faces life in prison if convicted.

Bloomfield-Bloomfield Hills Patch

A couple shopping with their infant got to spend a little more time inside the Kmart in Bloomfield Township this week, police reports said.

Bloomfield Township police officers responded to the store on the township's north side for a burglar alarm after 10 p.m. Monday. On arrival, they encountered a man, woman, and infant inside the store unable to get out because the doors were locked.

Police contacted store officials and were able to assist the shoppers out without any reported damage. Everyone was fine, according to reports.

The couple told officers said they were shopping when they suddenly realized that there were no employees in the store any longer. The night shift employees reportedly locked up unaware that customers were still inside. The store representative secured the building after the incident and it opened for business as usual on Tuesday.

Neither local store officials nor company public relations official immediately responded to messages Friday morning.