A 54-year-old man faces two felony charges after admitting to stealing cash from remote campgrounds.



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May 28, 2025
Contact: Lt. Mark DePew <[email protected]>, 989-275-5151

Grayling man arraigned for state forest campground pay pipe thefts

A Grayling man faces two felony charges, including safe breaking and possession of burglary tools, following arraignment Friday in Crawford County’s 87-C District Court.

Andrew William Michalak, 54, was arraigned for his involvement in a series of state forest campground thefts targeting payment collection sites – known as pay pipes – where campers deposit cash.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers, with assistance from the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, arrested Michalak May 22 following a long-term investigation spanning several years.

The investigation focused on thefts from pay pipes at multiple state forest campground locations, particularly during high-traffic periods.

Conservation officers were able to identify a suspect who was removing items from pay pipes; they also identified the suspect’s vehicle.

COs coordinated a traffic stop during which they recovered stolen cash and burglary tools from Michalak’s vehicle. Michalak admitted to using a specialized tool and an electronic device to extract cash from two pay pipes at state forest campgrounds. He also confessed to committing similar thefts across the region earlier this year.

Michalak was arrested during the traffic stop and lodged in the Crawford County Jail.

The case is being reviewed by the Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office. A future court date will be determined.

Michigan conservation officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety, and protect residents through general law enforcement and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.

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"Following the severe March 28-30 ice storm in northern Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources continues assessments and cleanup at many DNR-managed locations. Find a dashboard [ [link removed] ] with the latest status (open, partially open, temporarily closed) of state parks, state-managed trails, boating access sites and state forest campgrounds; an interactive map; safety updates; and more on the DNR’s ice storm response page [ [link removed] ]."

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