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Bragging bandit busted after blowing cash
WHAT AN IDIOT—Gerard Michael Coulombe, 25, of Grand Rapids, was caught by the Kent County Sheriff Department and is suspected of robbing the Lake Michigan Credit Union Monday, July 13. He bragged to friends of the robbery and showed his picture on online news to prove it.
Suspect bought drugs, gambled cash, fought off robbers with skateboard
by BETH ALTENA
After Gerard Michael Coulombe allegedly robbed the Lake Michigan Credit Union on Ten Mile Road, he showed off piles of cash to his friends, bragged about the robbery, and even showed online pictures from the security camera as proof he did it.
In a federal complaint from the United States District Court in the case of Coulombe vs. the United States of America, a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent outlines Coulombe’s actions before and after the Monday, July 13 robbery.
On July 16, Kent County Sheriff officer Brad Mercer, a member of the FBI’s Grand Rapids Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force received a call from Detective Bryan Muir of the Kent County Sheriff Department. He had interviewed an inmate of the Kent County Jail who claimed to know the robber in the crime.
Jerome Joseph Matthews said he was at Coulombe’s house the day of the robbery and he saw three large stacks of cash totalling $5,000 to $6,000. Coulombe was bragging about the robbery and pulled up online news showing surveillance shots as proof.
Coulombe’s roommate was also present during the discussion. That roommate, Nicholas Lynn Pyle, told officers he drove
Coulombe from their Grand Rapids home to a location near the credit union in his white Dodge minivan with Coulombe’s motorcycle in the back. He dropped Coulombe off, who returned after about five minutes. According to Pyle’s testimony, Coulombe had large amounts of cash he hadn’t had when he left.
The credit union reported it was robbed of $5,879 the day of the theft. A man entered, immediately started yelling at tellers to do as he said so no one would be hurt. He gestured with his right hand to draw attention to a gun in the waistband of his pants. He took money from the two tellers and left.
Matthews said his friend had had an airsoft pistol and a BB gun at his home and had painted over the orange muzzles to make the guns look realistic. Pyle told officers that after Coulombe put his motorbike back into Pyle’s van he admitted to robbing the credit union.
According to Pyle, the pair then drove to Car Lovers Car Wash on Plainfield Avenue and power washed the bike and helmet to remove green paint Coulombe had applied to disguise their appearance. After washing the bike the two went to Village Motorsports on Plainfield, where Coulombe left the bike to have work done on it. At Village Motorsports, the manager remembered Coulombe because he had a large wad of cash. He was suspicious of Coulombe because of the cash and because he was spending more money on the motorcycle than it was worth.
The same evening of the robbery, unknown individuals came to Coulombe’s home and attempted to rob him, Pyle claimed.
Pyle stated that Coulombe tried to ward off his defenders with a skateboard, then used it to break a window and ran away, cutting himself on the glass. Pyle said he took Coulombe to a Meijer to clean up. Associates at the Meijer store confronted him in the bathroom and asked him to leave, and took note of the van license plate, which was traced back to Pyle.
Pyle advised authorities that over the past several days he and Coulombe had spent most of the money buying drugs and gambled at Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant.
Pyle also said Coulombe attempted to rob a bank in Sydney, Michigan on July 10 but had left because there were too many people in the bank.
In searching Coulombe’s house, officers found a motorcycle helmet and clothes matching those shown in security film. The soles of his shoes match those of the shoes worn by the robber. There was green paint found in the cargo area of the van and paint found on Coulombe’s motorcycle.
Coulombe was arrested on Friday and booked into Kent County Jail. As of press time he was in Montcalm County for unrelated charges, said John King, Supervisory Agent of the FBI’s Grand Rapids Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force. According to King, there was an outstanding warrant on Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force in Montcalm County for larceny and theft. He will be arraigned this week. King said he couldn’t comment on the ongoing investigation, but had stated earlier, “It is very important that the public be our eyes and ears in cases like this.”
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Fire closes Rocky’s for two days
QUICK RESPONSE—(above) Firefighters prepare to enter a smoking Rocky’s on the corner of Main and Courtland streets Friday, July 17, after they received a call that one of the ice cream machines caught fire.
TAKE OUT WINDOW VIEW—(right) A fireman inspects smoldering equipment inside Rocky’s. A short in a soft-serve ice cream machine was found to have been the source of a fire which required the shop to close from Friday after the 5 p.m. fire until reopening Sunday for business.
Rockford firefighters responded to a call late the afternoon of Friday, July 17, when an ice cream machine at Rocky’s, 110 N. Main Street, downtown Rockford, caught fire. It was just before 5 p.m. when workers noticed smoke and called in the emergency. Rocky’s owners showed up quickly and watched with evacuated employees as firefighters went inside to contain any possible burning and to fan out the smoky interior.
“We’ve been here 20 years and nothing like this has ever happened,” said owner Sally Gardener.
The shop itself has been a mainstay in Rockford in the summer for about 35 years. “We’re just glad no one was hurt and the building didn’t burn down,” Gardener said. She said she was very grateful the fire started during business hours or the whole building could have caught fire.
Rocky’s had to close for the next day to clean the entire interior of the shop because of smoke damage. All opened food had to be thrown out and a new soft-serve machine ordered. The business reopened on Sunday, July 19.
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Disposal rollover trashes truck
No one was injured but this truck was trashed in a one-vehicle rollover on Ten Mile Road Tuesday, July 21, just east of the intersection of Wolven Street. Witnesses said the waste hauler, heading eastbound, drifted to the edge of the road and then jerked before rolling. The driver was up and walking after the accident.
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Wild Birds Unlimited offers free live bird program
“Looking an American eagle or great horned owl in the eye is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Laurie Tieman, who manages Wild Birds Unlimited, 5426 Northland Drive.
The store will offer a free live bird show on Saturday, July 25 from 2 to 3 p.m. Famed wild bird rescuer Joe Rogers will bring approximately ten live rescued birds.
“It’s really almost selfish on my part because I love the look on kids’ faces when they see these birds,” Tieman said.
Rogers founded the Wildlife Recovery Association in 1975 and has been rescuing birds since. On his 200-acre farm in Shepherd, Michigan, he helps birds become ready for re-release in the wild.
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL—Joe Rogers shows off an owl at Wild Birds Unlimited, 5426 Northland. He will have about ten live wild birds for a free show this Saturday, July 25 from 2 to 3 p.m. The public is invited and will be able to ask questions and hear about how to help more birds stay healthy and alive in Michigan. The show is open to the public.
Those who will never be able to survive wild have a home there for life. It is some of these birds Rogers will bring.
Rogers passion is wildlife research, radio tracking wolves bears and moose. He said that for 20 years his office has been remote campgrounds in the UP miles and miles from the nearest road. He loves to educate. “You can’t really bring a bear or a moose in for a show,” he joked.
The birds are a show-stealer on their own, however. Tieman said children and adults are amazed to see the live creatures so close and there are plenty of photo opportunities, so bring a camera.
Rogers said when his Wildlife Recovery was in its heyday they rehabilitated 800 to 900 birds a year. Now volunteers and funds are harder to come by and he has had to limit the number of birds he can save.
Education is key in limiting the number of birds that need to be saved, he said. The birds he sees have been bumped by cars, but many are the victims of intentional injury.
“Sadly, it seems to me that the first response children have when finding an animal in the wild is to kill it,” he said. He wonders if the violent electronic games kids play make them less compassionate. He also believes youngsters don’t get out in nature like they used to. He hopes seeing and hearing about wildlife will create interest or at least empathy.
Nature is good for us, too, Rogers believes. “It’s not controlled, or directed. Being out in nature is soothing. I don’t know if all the behavior disorders and attention-deficit disorders we see now is related. Are they part of being stressed up and hyped up, being in front of a tv, computer, listening to loud synthetic music?”
Adults, too can learn a thing or two, about the value of nature and animals we share the world with. Studies show that 80 percent of drivers will intentionally hit a rubber snake in the road. Another 70 percent will swerve to hit a rubber turtle.
Wild bird stores have been strong supporters of Rogers’ rescue efforts and generally pay him more than he asks for his shows, because they know money goes to the birds.
Tieman agreed wholeheartedly. She has a passion for wildlife that shows in the bird supplies, bat houses, and wide variety of outdoor animal products the store supplies. Visitors love seeing the in-shop cat and bunny who love each other. Tieman said bringing in educational animals is a treat for her as well as those who come to see them. Wild rescue and animals is a passion. “It’s amazing and I love it.”
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