Purse thieves leave a bad aftertaste on the wine and brew: Orange Police Blotter Leave a comment

ORANGE, Ohio

Larceny-theft: Harvard Road

A Strongsville woman reported that she was seated with her family at a high-top table in Cooper’s Hawk Winery about 1:50 p.m. on Feb. 20. at a high-top table. About 10 minutes later, she noticed that her purse, which she had hung on the back of her chair, was unzipped, and missing was her coin purse, containing I.D., including her Social Security card, prescription, Medicare and insurance cards, along with $100 cash.

Security video showed that a man sat down at the next table behind the victim at 1:52 p.m. Then, with a coat draped over his right arm, he turned toward the woman and her chair and appeared to enter the purse with his right hand. A minute later he left the restaurant, with no description available of his vehicle.

Theft, fraud-illegal use of credit cards: Harvard Road

A Painesville woman reported Feb. 20 that she and her daughter had been at a 2:30 p.m. wine-tasting event at Cooper’s Hawk Winery the day before, when she hung her jacket and purse on a hook underneath the bar top closest to the entrance.

At 4:30 p.m., she reached into her purse and found her wallet was missing, along with 10 credit cards and seven gift cards worth about $250.

She was later notified that her Costco Visa and American Express cards had been fraudulently used at the Beachwood Rite-Aid for a total of over $835.

Her TJ Maxx credit card was also used three times at the Highland Heights Kohl’s department store for a total of $1,380. Video footage from that incident was also under review.

Larceny-theft, fraud-illegal use of credit cards: Harvard Road

A Solon woman reported on the night of Feb. 18 that she and her husband had dined at BJ’s Brewhouse from 6:30-7:45 p.m. and were seated at a high-top table near the front entrance, where she hung her purse on her chair.

Midway through dinner, she said she felt movement on her purse and noticed it was unzipped, although everything appeared to be inside.

Later that night, the couple received two calls from Huntington Bank about fraudulent activity. At that point, she looked in her wallet and realized that $500 was missing, along with two credit cards.

Further notification showed that a total of $848 had been spent on her Discover card at the Summit Mall Macy’s, along with $330 on her Huntington card at Foot Locker. Additional purchase attempts for another $500 at Macy’s and $75 at Foot Locker, both on Discover, had been denied.

Staff at BJ’s said to come back the next day to speak with the general manager about reviewing security video.

Theft from auto: Orange Place

Police responded to the Courtyard of Marriott parking lot on the morning of Feb. 16, where a York, Pa., man, 22, said he had parked his company truck, a Dodge Ram, overnight.

He returned to the truck around 7:15 a.m. and noticed that the top rear hatch was unlocked and about $6,000 worth of tools were stolen.

The loot included assorted hand tools, impact guns, grinders, batteries, chargers and a sledgehammer.

Theft of credit cards: Wall Street

A Gates Mills woman reported Feb. 17 that her credit cards had been stolen while she was shopping at the Pinecrest Whole Foods. The cards, with a value at that point at $400, had then been used at area stores to make fraudulent purchases.

General assistance, criminal trespassing, Orange Place

Police responded to the Red Lobster restaurant around 1:15 p.m. on Feb. 17 after a manager reported that a former employee, a Cleveland woman, 22, whom she fired that morning, had made repeated calls to coworkers, then showed up to speak to another manager after being told she was no longer welcome on the property.

At that point, the former employee reportedly began spewing obscenities before finally leaving the property. This led to the trespassing summons that she later told police she would pick up at the station.

Harassing communications, trespassing: Orange Place

A manager at Slyman’s Tavern arrived at the police station on Feb. 17 to report that one of his employees was being harassed by her ex-husband, a Bedford man, 41, who was not allowed to come back onto the property for any reason.

Officers on the next shift were asked to continue calling the ex. since the phone number provided up to that point remained perpetually busy.

Harassing communications, trespassing: Park Avenue

A manager at Candle Studio reported that one of her employees was having ongoing issues with another Pinecrest worker, believed to be a Woodmere man, 20, to the point where she would sign criminal trespass charges against him if he showed up again.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.