Pontiac man charged with liquor theft

A Pontiac man accused of trying to steal liquor from two Bloomfield Township stores was arraigned on Tuesday, September 19, on multiple warrants for retail fraud. Bloomfield Township police said the cases started in February when the suspect, Brian Sonnenberg, 46, of Pontiac, was at a CVS Pharmacy, 4101 Telegraph, and allegedly concealed several bottles of liquor in his coat. "The store manager heard the bottles clanking and subsequently confronted the suspect in the store," Bloomfield Township Police Detective Sgt. Matt Hill said. "The suspect put the liquor back and agreed to leave the store. As he was leaving, the manager heard more clanking, and the suspect gave back two more bottles of liquor. He left the store before police arrived." Hill said fingerprints taken from the bottles identified Sonnenberg as the suspect. Police in May presented the case to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office and a warrant was authorized fro Retail Fraud, 2nd degree. The warrant was issued on September 19, and Sonnenberg was arrested by another law enforcement agency and transported to Bloomfield Township where he spoke with detectives. "He waived Miranda and agreed to speak with detectives," Hill said. "He admitted to being at the store but denied taking any liquor on February 2, 2017. He admitted responsibility to another retail fraud in Bloomfield Township on August 26, 2017, at the Kroger at 3600 West Maple. On that day, he stole two bottles of liquore valued at $106." An additional count of retail fraud was added to the incident. Sonnenberg is scheduled to appear in 48th District Court on October 3.