West Side Neighborhood Watch
WEST AKRON: Burglaries were reported in the following locations: the 600 block of Fernwood Drive between July 20 and 21; the 500 block of Oneida Avenue between July 20 and Aug. 3; the 400 block of South Hawkins Avenue between July 21 and Aug. 1; the 800 block of Hardesty Boulevard July 27; the 1100 block of Walton Drive between July 29 and Aug. 3; the 800 block of Peerless Avenue July 31; the 300 block of Mobray Road between July 31 and Aug. 1; the 1100 block of Greenwood Avenue between Aug. 2 and 3; the 1500 block of Fairfax Road Aug. 2; the 1000 block of Valdes Avenue Aug. 2; and the 500 block of Madison Avenue Aug. 3.
A 42-year-old Westgay Drive woman was charged with domestic violence, domestic violence menacing and aggravated menacing July 28. Officers noted she has a prior conviction for domestic violence from July 10.
A 20-year-old North Portage Path man was charged with receiving stolen property July 31. According to police officers, the man was found to be in possession of temporary Ohio vehicle tags that were reported stolen July 2.
On Aug. 1, a 35-year-old Westgay Drive man was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. Officers apprehended the man, who was carrying a loaded gun, in the 600 block of Treeside Drive.
Investigators searching for a 48-year-old West Akron woman, who was last heard from July 31, located her body in a wooded area in the Hampton Hills Metro Park Aug. 3. Susan Ramsdell’s locked vehicle was discovered in the park on Aug. 2. The case is being investigated as a suicide, according to the Akron Police Department. [For more on this incident, see Page 3.]
On Aug. 6, a 20-year-old Noah Avenue man, along with a 26-year-old Barberton man, were charged with aggravated robbery for an incident that occurred in the 600 block of Noah Avenue. The pair allegedly brandished a handgun, pushed the victim down and took the victim’s wallet and money.
At approximately 3 a.m. Aug. 7, a robbery occurred at the intersection of South Balch and Crosby streets. According to police reports, the victim stated he was walking down the street when the suspect approached him from behind and punched him in the back of the head. The victim further stated the suspect was armed with a knife, and he removed cash from the victim’s pocket and fled. The suspect was described as a black male, 30 to 35 years old, approximately 6 feet tall, with short black hair and a goatee and wearing a white V-necked T-shirt and blue jeans. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Akron Police Department at 330-375-2552.
BATH: On July 28, Bath police officers received a report from a federal investigator who was building a case against a man accused of passing bad checks at a Montrose business.
A man reported he was driving a vehicle on Yellow Creek Road July 29 when a dog ran in front of his car and he struck and injured the animal. The dog owner took the dog to an animal hospital for treatment.
A woman reported July 29 her ex-boyfriend violated a protection order by contacting her in the parking lot of a Montrose coffeehouse. Fairlawn officers located the suspect outside a business in the Shops of Fairlawn. He was charged with violating a protection order and taken to the Summit County Jail.
Police responded to a report that a pit bull dog was running loose in the area of Rickel Circle July 29. Officers located the dog, who reportedly bit a woman who had been walking her dog. The animal charged at police, growling and barking, and officers chased it back to the owner’s yard. The dog left the yard and ran into the street several more times while officers were waiting for the owner to arrive. Police and a neighbor temporarily blocked some holes in the owner’s fence after the dog went back into the yard, and it was unable to get out again. Officers left a message for the owner to contact them.
Following a registration check of a vehicle on North Cleveland-Massillon Road July 29, police arrested a woman for driving under suspension. A male passenger was released to the Wooster Police Department on a warrant.
On July 29, officers responded to a report of a fight between a male and female in the parking lot of the police station. Police located one party in the parking lot and the other party at a nearby church. Both parties stated there was no physical contact or threats, and police advised the male to have no contact with the female.
A woman reported July 30 she was jogging on Anthony Drive when a Labradoodle ran from a yard and bit her hand. She was advised to get a tetanus shot, and the dog owner complied with information about the dog’s vaccinations.
Security agents at a Montrose clothing store reported Aug. 2 that several females were concealing items in purses. Two of the females were stopped as they left, and police retrieved stolen items. They were charged with theft, and one female was additionally charged with criminal trespassing. Two other females escaped in a vehicle and police are seeking them.
Copley police reported an impaired driver was heading into Montrose Aug. 2. Police located the driver and stopped her in a Medina Road parking lot. She appeared intoxicated, failed a field sobriety test, and her BAC tested .236. She was charged with DUI and released to a family member.
On Aug. 2, employees of a Montrose clothing store asked for assistance in banning a woman from the store due to ongoing problems with shoplifting. Police located her outside a restaurant and advised her if she returned to the store she would be charged with trespassing.
COPLEY: On July 22, the pastor of an Aberth Drive church reported someone damaged a door to enter the church and stole a $500 guitar.
A Fairlawn man reported his wallet was stolen from his locked vehicle outside a Goodenough Avenue residence July 25.
Police responded to a call from a woman who said she ran to a residence on Rothrock Circle to call for help July 26 after her husband, who was intoxicated, assaulted her and grabbed her cell phone when she tried to call police. The victim had visible injuries, and the man, who denied assaulting her, was arrested for domestic violence and taken to the Summit County Jail.
The son of a woman who is an Alzheimer’s disease patient at a Ridgewood Road facility reported July 27 he received a call last April from a representative of a credit card company seeking verification for a new account in his mother’s name. He declined the account and explained that his mother does not control her finances. He recently learned the account was opened and a card was issued. Police determined the card had been sent to a Canton woman, who admitted getting the card in the victim’s name, but said she never used it. Charges were pending completion of an investigation.
Police patrolling South Cleveland-Massillon Road July 28 at 4 a.m. observed a man sleeping behind the steering wheel of a vehicle with the keys in the ignition outside a closed business. The suspect failed a field sobriety test, and his BAC tested .167. He was charged with having physical control of a vehicle while intoxicated and released with a court summons.
Officers were called to a domestic disturbance at an Oak Tree Drive residence July 29 when a man waiting for police outside the residence said his wife was intoxicated and she smashed his cell phone. He told officers she is on probation and not permitted to drink. Police transported her to a detoxification center, and she agreed to be admitted.
On July 30, police responded to a call that a woman was damaging cars in the parking lot of a Hunt Club Drive apartment complex. A resident told officers his ex-girlfriend showed up at his residence and damaged his pickup truck, then left in a vehicle before officers arrived. The victim said he would prosecute the woman, and police were attempting to locate her.
A man working in a garage on Vale Drive July 31 reported a coworker shoved him during an argument, causing an injury, for which he declined medical treatment. The suspect denied assaulting the victim, who declined charges and asked for documentation.
Police responded to a report of an erratic driver on Jacoby Road Aug. 4, stopped the Norton man for lane violations and arrested him for driving under suspension. He was released with a court summons.
Employees of a Rothrock Road motel called police Aug. 4 when a confused and disoriented man wearing a hospital gown arrived at the motel in a taxi. Police found him sitting in a wheelchair and determined he was unable to provide any information about the medical facility he had come from or the type of treatment he received. He said he was a Vietnam War veteran, and police contacted several veterans’ organizations and hospitals but were unable to find any information. The man was given a room at the motel while police were working to assist him.
A Delaware Trail woman reported Aug. 4 a unique heart-shaped diamond pendant with a golden bird on top of the heart was stolen from her residence. She said the item, which was valued at $4,500, was stolen from her dining room table while she was out. She provided names of people who might have been in the residence.
Following a registration check of a vehicle on Ridgewood Road Aug. 4, police arrested an Akron man for driving under suspension and released him with a court summons. His vehicle was towed.
Around 6 a.m. Aug. 5, police responded to a report that a 5-year-old child wearing a robe and slippers was walking east on Copley Road. The child told officers she woke and her mother was not there. She was walking to her grandmother’s home in Akron. Police returned the child to her home on Lochraven Boulevard and determined her mother was not there, but she returned to the home while officers were there. At first, she said she left the child alone because she received a call from her sister stating their mother experienced a breathing emergency. When her sister and mother could not confirm her story, she admitted she had gone to Southeast Akron to get money from her ex-boyfriend, thinking she could get home before the child woke. The child was returned to her, but she was charged with child endangering, and Summit County Children Services was assigned to follow up due to the incident.
FAIRLAWN: On July 30, security agents at a West Market Street discount department store reported a woman concealed clothing and DVDs in her purse and left without paying for them. Police confiscated merchandise worth $238 from her and returned it to the store. The Akron woman was charged with theft, banned from the store and released with a court summons.
Police located in a mall food court a man who was suspected of shoplifting a shirt from a mall department store July 31. He was carrying a bag containing the stolen $90 shirt, which was returned to the store. The Akron man admitted taking the shirt, and he was charged with theft and banned from the store.
A Park Hill Drive man reported he last saw two bicycles in a garage he shares with another resident July 29. He said he closed and locked the garage door, but his neighbor often leaves the door open. On Aug. 1, he discovered the garage door open and the bikes, worth $3,000, had been stolen. Police found no sign of forced entry into the garage.
On Aug. 1, police were called to a Montrose discount store where security agents reported two women concealed clothing in a purse. One woman left the store without the purse, which was in a shopping cart. The second female left the store with the purse, containing the stolen merchandise worth $118. Police charged both Akron women with theft.
A Barberton man reported Aug. 1 he was shopping with his wife at a West Market Street mall July 3, and when they left the mall they discovered her $2,000 diamond bracelet, which she had been wearing, was missing.
NORTON: On July 28, police were called to a disturbance at a Hametown Road park where a Millersburg woman was highly intoxicated and fighting with family members who attempted to prevent her from leaving with her children. She allegedly attacked several people and was charged with disorderly conduct, released on a signature bond and transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the fight.
An Akron man was stopped for riding a bicycle with no lights or reflectors on Interstate 76 at 2:30 a.m. July 28. He failed a field sobriety test and was charged with DUI and released on bond.
An Easton Road family reported July 29 they hired two men to install a swimming pool in their yard, and the men showed up without the proper tools. They borrowed the tools from the family’s shed and took them when they left. The family has been attempting to contact the suspects regarding the return of their tools and improper installation of the pool.
Police are seeking suspects who pried open the door of a shed on Berry Road July 29 and stole a dirt bike worth $850.
Firefighters and police officers responded to a fire at a Wadsworth Road automotive business July 30 and found the engine of a tow truck completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, and an officer located gasoline trails leading to two other vehicles, which did not catch fire. Police also located a gasoline can and a burned flare. The fire marshal responded to the scene, and an arson investigation is in progress.
A Roop Avenue woman reported July 30 seven rings and two gold chains, worth $8,000, were stolen from her home. She and her son determined her grandson took the items, which he reportedly admitted selling to a Barberton business for $645. The victim declined prosecution, but she wanted a report so she could claim her property.
Suspects damaged mailboxes outside two Easton Road residences the night of Aug. 1.
A Nash Boulevard woman reported Aug. 2 she saw a female exit a dark green vehicle and snatch a $50 lawn globe from her property. She got back into the car, which sped away. The victim found broken glass in her driveway, and broken glass also was located in a driveway on Shellhart Road, but the glass was not from the stolen globe.
Police patrolling a Norton Avenue trailer park Aug. 3 observed a woman sitting in a running vehicle and determined she had just driven to a nearby store and her driver’s license is under numerous suspensions. She was arrested for driving under suspension and possession of drug abuse instruments, which were found during her arrest. She was additionally charged with trespassing, as she had been banned from the trailer park.
PENINSULA: An officer was dispatched to a Riverview Road address June 16 to investigate a complaint of trespassing. The reporting party told the officer that juveniles drove onto the gravel driveway and appeared to be playing “some type of hiding game.” The juveniles left “frantically” when the homeowners approached. The officer was unable to locate any subjects.
On June 17, an officer responded to a location on Akron-Cleveland Road to deal with goats on the road. The officer found several people trying to herd one male goat, one female goat and four baby goats into the backyard of a property on Akron-Cleveland Road. The officer cleared the scene and had another officer stand by to wait for the owner of the goats to come and put them in a fenced-in area. The owner’s wife arrived and put the goats in an area at the rear of the business.
An officer was dispatched to a residence on Akron-Peninsula Road June 19 to help a man locate his glasses. The officer located the glasses behind a dresser.
On June 23, an officer on patrol on Main Street was flagged down by a bicyclist who said several vehicles were parked off the roadway and there were “large knives” on the hood of one of the cars. The officer went to the location described and found four cars and a motorcycle parked off the road. There were several men at the spot, and they told the officer they were going on a hike. The men, who had gear such as water and knives on their belts, told the officer they were knife collectors and had several out to look at and to show to their friends. The officer advised them against doing so in public, as it could cause some people to panic. They agreed and apologized.
While at the police station doing paperwork June 23, an officer received a call from a resident who said she was “a little concerned” about a man who was going door-to-door. She said the man had a clipboard and would first knock on the front door of each residence, but if there was no answer he would walk back on driveways, look into houses and go to back or side doors. The officer headed out and located the man in question. The man said he was out getting signatures against fracking for a nonprofit organization. The officer stated in his report that no permit was needed for the activity, but he advised the man to knock on front doors only. The man said he understood and would comply.
An officer took a report at the Peninsula Police Department regarding a theft that occurred June 30 on Akron-Peninsula Road. The victim reported that one of his golf clubs was stolen at a golf course at approximately 7 p.m.
RICHFIELD: Officers responded to a report the evening of July 21 stating an Alger Road juvenile was missing, and determined the juvenile was at a friend’s house and was unable to call home due to a problem with a cell phone. The juvenile returned home shortly after midnight.
Employees of a Brecksville Road travel center reported July 23 a motorcyclist fueled his bike at one of the gas pumps and a passenger paid with a $50 bill, which was later discovered to be counterfeit.
On July 23, a man working at a construction site on Apple Ridge Drive reported he argued with the owner of the construction company, who threatened him and attempted to assault him but was stopped by other workers who intervened. The worker said he took his things and left without getting paid. Police contacted the owner, who said the worker was the one who was at fault and that he was sent home due to his use of profane language. Police contacted the county prosecutor’s office to discuss charges against either party.
The manager of a Brecksville Road motel reported July 25 an adult male, who was traveling with two small children, caused damage to a room during their three-week stay at the business. They left before employees discovered the damage, which police observed. Officers were seeking the male.
Police were called to a Brush Road residence July 25 when a woman reported her son was intoxicated and wanted her to let him in the house. When she refused, he threw stones at the windows to wake her. She threw a blanket and pillow out the window and told him to sleep in a neighbor’s garage, with permission from the neighbors and without waking them. He was permitted to sleep in the garage, and police advised him he was not to be on his mother’s property or create a disturbance or he would be arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct.
A woman reported July 26 she suspects someone siphoned gasoline from her vehicle while she shopped at a Broadview Road grocery store for 15 minutes. She returned to find her vehicle’s gas tank was empty.
The Akron police reports were compiled by Ariel Hakim, and the Peninsula reports were compiled by Sean Patrick. The remainder were compiled by Maggie DeMellier.
Editor’s note: The police reports provided here are a sampling of those filed with each community’s police departments. For questions related to the reports we’ve included or others we have not, call the West Side Leader at 330-665-9595. To provide information on an alleged criminal act noted in this week’s report, call the local police department.
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