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By Ben Baird Heritage Media Mac’s Acadian Seafood Shack, Spotted Dog Winery, Cobblestone Rose and Maureen’ Designs were all broken into the night of Jan. 4 within the same area downtown. The burglaries are believed to have occurred between 8 p.m. Jan. 4 and 7 a.m. Jan. 5, according to police reports. All were located within the same block along East Michigan Av enue and S outh Ann Arbor Street. The glass of the main door to Mac’s Acadian Seafood Shack, 104 E. Michigan Ave., was found broken Thursday morning and a medium- sized rock was found on the floor by broken pieces of glass. The cash register in the bar area was disturbed and papers scattered near- by . The downstairs li quor cabinet was also found open and inside it a cash drawer and metal box had been rifled through. An undisclosed amount of cash was discov ered missing from the restau- rant. Fingerprints were By Jim Pruitt Special Writer He may not be riding off into the sunset, but after 18 years as the police chief for the city of Saline, Paul Bunten is just a day away from leav- ing the office for good. Bunten makes every day casual day now that he has packed away his uniforms for good. But he’s clearly still on the job, as he recently over- saw his officers in an arrest of a local man who broke into a pharmacy . Bunten’s retirement comes a few months early, after the City Council rejected his reorga- nization plan for the department. He proposed hiring a new second-in-command and training that person as the next chief. He was going to retire, anyway, but was willing to stay on until June to train the new No. 2. With the council’s decision to wait for a new chief to hire the sec- ond in command, Bunten felt it was time to go. “I made peace with myself,” he said. “I did not change my retirement date out of spit e.” “They didn’t like the idea,” Bunten said of the City Council. “They did what they felt was right. You have to realize they are in charge.” A 47-year veteran of law enforcement, includ- ing nearly 30 years with the Ann Arbor Police Department, Bunten said he has enjoyed his time. There are parts to the job he won’t miss, however. “I am tired of tragedies,” he said. “I worked a lot of homicides . I worked a lot of major cases .” Bunten said he doesn’t find thrillers enter- taining. “You want to entertain me,” he said, “make me laugh.” Bunten is most proud of the work he has done with the Saline Police Department. He said when he took the job in April 1994, he found the department housed in a ramshackle building next to the senior center on Maple Road. “It was a terrible facility; there were leaky roofs,” he said. While the environment was substandard, the staff was sound with many seni or officers among the 11-sworn force. What they had in experience they lacked in tools. Bunten said he made it his goal to bring the department up to date with technology and Weave the Web: Make sure to click on www.heritage.com around the clock for the most in-depth coverage. See our Most Viewed story, “DETROIT LIONS: With flaws exposed, front office must be busy in offseason.” Check out our video: ■ 2013 Chevy Cars ■ Four burglaries discovered Thursday in downtown Saline Click on the “jobs” tab on the home page of our website or go directly to http://jobs.heritage.com. Join us on Twitter: We have 1,517 followers on Twitter. Become a Saline Reporter follower. Click on the Twitter tab on the home page or go directly to http://twitter. com/SalineMilanNews. Join us on Facebook: We have 763 fans on Facebook. Click on the Facebook tab on the home page of our web- site or search for us on Facebook. Get breaking news: To receive breaking news alerts, text HERNews to 22700. The Marketplace: Scouts improve Walker Tavern as Eagle project See Page 1-B Deaf interpreters take ‘center stage’ at area theater See Page 1-B Holiday sales good for Saline, say merchants See Page 3-A Newspapers to supply video for newscast Get ready for a local newscast that combines hyper-local news stories with television’s imme- diacy when WADL TV coverage from reporters and videographers work- ing at Heritage Media, The Oakland Press, Macomb Daily, Royal Oak’s Daily and financial expert, and is married to Giuliana Rancic. The newscast, which also will feature Bloomberg Bunten re fl ects on years as police chief Police investigating burglaries at four downtown Saline businesses Photo by Jim Pruitt Saline Police Chief Paul Bunten has put away his uniforms as he spends his moments behind the desk. His last day is Friday. PLEASE SEE BREAK-INS /3-A PLEASE SEE BUNTEN /3-A Four burglaries occurred between Jan. 4 and Jan. 5 within one block downtown along East Michigan Avenue and South Ann Arbor Road. Thefts believed to have taken place between Jan. 4 and 5 VOL. 62, NO. 2 THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012 75 ¢ Your Hometown Newspaper Saline Reporter The GOLD OVER $1700!! WE WILL BEAT ANY OFFER BY 10% OR MORE! 1170 S. MAIN STREET • CHELSEA Minutes from Ann Arbor I-94 Exit 159 433-9900 (734) Chelsea Rare Coins Sell Your Unwanted/ Broken Jewelry Here WE BUY ALL COINS & CURRENCY TOP $ FOR GOLD & SILVER 1-800-666-0348
