Retired Ann Arbor Detective Dies At 82

LOCAL 

Retired Ann Arbor detective dies at 82

By KARESSA E. WEIR and PERI STONE-PALMQUIST

NEWS STAFF REPORTERS

Retired veteran Ann Arbor police detective Gregory S. Katopodis died Thursday at age 82.

He passed away at an extended care facility. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Katopodis gained repute for apprehending a notorious state-hopping car thief in 1968 who eluded the FBI for more than a year. Katopodis was on his way to testify in a criminal arraignment when he saw a man on the street he recognized from a picture circulated by the FBI.

The man turned out to be Anthony U. Holleran, who was later charged with stealing more than $200,000 worth of cars, four from Ann Arbor. When Katopodis arrested him, the suspect had 80 sets of car keys.

Katopodis was proud that he didn’t wear a uniform a single day of his 33-year career in law enforcement and was known as “sharp-eyed”.

In a News article written when Katopodis retired in 1982, the veteran lawman noted that he had worn “soft clothes” all his life. “I bet you never hear of that happening again,” he said.

Born in Ann Arbor, the Ann Arbor High School graduate served in the Army Medical Corps from 1942-45, including two years in Europe. Before the war he worked at the King-Seeley Corp., and followed his army duty at Argus Cameras Inc.

Katopodis joined the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department in April 1948 and was promoted to detective sergeant in 1949. Seven years later, joined the Ann Arbor Police Department as a detective.

In his spare time, he enjoyed photography and camping.

He is survived by his wife Shirley, daughter Linda and son Steven, both of Ypsilanti, and son Charles of Washington, as well as three grandchildren. Also surviving are siblings Mary Leonard of Dexter, Esther Bauer of Ann Arbor, Michael Katopol of Canton and Chris Katopol of Adrian.