By Jim Newell

Review Editor

A 16-year-old Orion Township teen who had most of Southeast Michigan looking for him has been found and is back in Children’s Village in Pontiac awaiting a court date.

Lt. Wendy Reyes of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on July 25 that Nathan Charles Greiwe had been apprehended by sheriff’s deputies on July 14.

“He’s okay. He was at an address in Pontiac,” Reyes said. “He’s safe, he’s back at the Village.”

Greiwe was reported missing by his grandfather on June 19, and was believed to have stolen a handgun from his grandfather’s home in the 600 block of Highville in Orion Township.

Sheriff’s deputies investigating the teen’s disappearance located Greiwe at a home in Pontiac. When Greiwe saw deputies, he tried to run but deputies were able to take him into custody, Reyes said.

Greiwe has an Aug. 15 hearing on a larceny charge in Juvenile Court for stealing his grandfather’s handgun.

Another incident is still under investigation but the sheriff’s office could not comment on the nature of the case, Reyes said.

Media outlets throughout Southeast Michigan reported the story, in print and on television, and many Orion residents after hearing the news took to social media expressing concern about Greiwe’s safety and whereabouts.

Greiwe was home for a weekend pass in June from the Oakland County Children’s Village, where he was lodged due to a similar incident in 2015 and for “incorrigibility,” according to the sheriff’s report.

Authorities believe that Greiwe left his grandfather’s home between 4:30 – 6:30 a.m. on foot.

After interviewing the teen’s grandfather, authorities did not learn of any violence or specific threats, and said that Greiwe “does not have a history of violence or threats of violence.”

Greiwe had indicated to his grandfather he wanted to try out for the Lake Orion football team.

As a precautionary measure, Superintendent Marion Ginopolis closed all school district buildings June 19-20, canceling summer classes, practices and events scheduled.

“We received a report from the Oakland County Sheriff indicating that the teen was possibly armed with a stolen gun and ammunition taken from his grandfather’s home and said he was going to ‘try out’ for the football team. As a precaution, scheduled summer activities and events were cancelled to ensure the safety of the children and adults in the district,” Ginopolis said in a an official statement to The Lake Orion Review.

“My responsibility is to take precautions that will, as much as possible, ensure the safety of the children and adults while they are in the school district.

“Even though no direct threat was made, the information we were given by the Oakland County Sheriff was enough to cause concern for the safety of children and adults who were in our district for summer activities and events as well as for staff members who were closing out their classrooms for the summer,” Ginopolis said.

In 2015, Greiwe also stole a handgun and the investigation revealed he stole the gun to sell for money, the sheriff’s department reported.