Thief Takes $27K Bite Out of Apple Store

A thief fled the Crocker Park Apple Store with $27,000 merchandise last week.

On 1/22/20 at approx. 5PM officers were dispatched to the Apple Store at Crocker Park for a reported theft, report Westlake Police.  A male had entered the store and appeared to shop for a couple of minutes before pocketing numerous Apple watches and air pods. He ran out with about $27,000 worth of merchandise.  He was not located that evening and a report was generated.  

When officers were following up the next day, they learned that a male matching the description from this theft had been arrested later in the same day at an Apple Store in Pittsburgh, PA.  Furthermore, it was found the 20 year old from New York, NY was in possession of the merchandise from the Westlake theft. Warrants were obtained for the male charging him with felony theft.

Another Rotten Apple   

On 1/25/20 at about 2:40PM WPD received another call from the Apple Store reporting that approx. 10 minutes prior, a male had taken several Apple watches and fled eastbound toward Crocker Rd on foot.  The suspect is described as an approx. 18yo black male wearing a dark coat with gray writing on it. He had on dark pants and was approx. 5’7” tall according to witnesses. Investigators are following up. 

NOTE FROM POLICE: It should be noted that these stolen Apple watches WILL NOT work on any network as intended due to internal safeguards in place.  An unscrupulous buyer who picks one up from a car trunk or an internet resale site will not know this until they have paid for and received the stolen merchandise.  This is why it is important to only buy merchandise from reputable sellers. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. End of WPD opinion.

Drooling and Dreaming Behind the Wheel

On 1/23/20 at approx. 1AM officers responded to a report of a motorist passed out behind the wheel in the intersection of Detroit and Dover Center Rds.  Officers noted that not only was the driver sleeping, he had drool oozing from his mouth. Once they were able to wake the male, the 51 yo Westlake resident seemed disoriented.  He appeared intoxicated and was field tested and arrested for OVI. The vehicle was impounded and towed. At the Westlake jail the male refused a breath test. His license was suspended and he received a court date at Rocky River Municipal Court.

Drugs, Handguns & Kids in Car

On 1/25/20 at approx. 1:45PM an officer stopped a vehicle on I90 W/B at Crocker for moving and license plate violations.  The officer noticed signs of drug use in the car while speaking with the occupants, including 2 children – one 6 year old, the other 2 years old.  

Investigation revealed that there was a loaded semi-auto handgun in the center console along with suspected marijuana and a digital scale.  A 20yo male Chardon resident and a 22yo Cleveland resident were arrested. Both were charged with felony carrying a concealed weapon. An indictment for child endangering and improper transport of a firearm will be recommended to the grand jury at a later time.  The children and their mother were sent on their way.

Garage Wrecked

On 1/26/20 at approx. 2AM officers were dispatched to a parking lot on Cedarwood Dr for a reported argument over a private property collision involving vehicles.  Officers arrived to find a car attempting to leave. At first the male operator denied being involved in any altercation but with some prompting did admit that he had argued with a “friend” who was no longer on scene.  The driver added that he accidentally backed into a garage on the property. Officers noted that there was extensive damage to the garage and the male showed signs of intoxication. The 27yo Brook Park resident was field tested and arrested for OVI.  He later tested well over 2x the legal limit of alcohol.

Warrants Revealed

On 1/27/20 at about 12:30PM an officer stopped a vehicle on I90 at Crocker for license plate and speeding violations.  The driver received a warning for the violations but the passenger was found to have 3 warrants out for his arrest. 35yo Brunswick resident was arrested and later turned over to Strongsville PD on their misdemeanor warrant.

Suspicious Vehicle Yields Drugs

On 1/28/20 at approx. 11:30PM WPD received a report of a suspicious occupied red vehicle parked on the street on Seneca Dr.  Officers contacted a female in the driver’s seat who said she was waiting for a neighbor to come home as she was dog sitting for them.  The 27yo Westlake resident had an active Westlake warrant for dangerous drugs. After her arrest, officers located “numerous items of drug abuse” in the vehicle.  This included pills, suspected marijuana and a folded dollar bill containing grey powder. The contraband was collected and will be sent to the crime lab for testing.  New charges, to go along with the original misdemeanor drug charges for a previous encounter, will be pending.