Police follow blue trail to find burglary suspect

A trail of blue dye left by two men suspected of breaking into a White Lake Township ski lodge led to the recovery of thousands of dollars in equipment, according to White Lake Township police.

White Lake Police Lt. Adam Kline said burglars forced open a door at the Alpine Valley Ski Lodge, 6775 Highland Road, and took more than $2,600 in skiing, office and shop equipment sometime between midnight and 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 5.

Kline said the burglars left boot prints and drag marks in blue dye used to mark the ski trails that was inadvertently spilled during the break-in. Investigators followed the blue clues to a room at the White Lake View Motel, 6685 Highland Road.

Officers got permission to go into the room and discovered items belonging to Alpine Valley, Kline said. A 23-year-old White Lake Township man in the room was arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft.

The man had blue dye on his clothes and his boot prints matched those left at the crime scene, Kline said. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of a 23-year-old Clarkston man suspected of being involved in the break-in.

“He also had blue dye on his clothes and matching boot prints,” Kline said. o