WEST SHORE BLUES: The Best of the Beats

CRIME ALERT!!

Westlake Police report of several instances of persons having items including purses stolen from unlocked vehicles at gas stations. While an unsuspecting person is pumping gas, a thief pulls up or walks over and quickly grabs a purse or other valuable from inside the car through an unlocked door or window. The person pumping gas usually does not even know it happened until later. We have no recent reports in Westlake but there have been victims in area cities. Please be aware of your surroundings and lock your property/take your keys whether you are close by or not. And PLEASE do not leave your car running when you go into the store. Car thieves just wait for opportunities. DO NOT BE A VICTIM.

Bay Home Burglary

On February 17, at 3:46pm, an Elmwood Road resident arrived on station to report his home was burglarized at some point over the last few days. Specifically, the male reported that money was taken from the home. The male could not name any suspects but stated a young white male was in the area during the time frame who he assumed was working for the gas company. Bay Village Detectives are investigating.

Bay Village Police remind residents to call right away if they see anything suspicious.

Parking Lot Fight in Car Leads to Dumpster Dive

On 2/23/21 at about 3:30PM, Westlake Police responded to a report of a possible domestic fight in the parking lot of Westbay Plaza on Detroit Rd. While officers were responding to the area, the couple were reported to leave the lot in a vehicle. A Patrolman spotted the involved Chevy Impala as it entered I90 westbound and attempted to stop it. It did not yield but continued speeding into Avon. Officers pursued as the car exited at Nagle and drove down Chester. As the traffic increased and the suspect became more reckless, the pursuit was called off for safety reasons.

Avon PD located the abandoned vehicle soon after in a business parking lot on Rt 83 near Chester. Avon and Westlake officers converged on the area and found the couple hiding behind a dumpster nearby. Both were taken into custody without further incident. Both parties claimed that their last addresses were in Georgia but that they had been living out of their vehicle for awhile. The 48yo male driver was charged with felony fleeing. This male and the 47yo female, who had been the passenger, were both charged with possession of drug abuse instruments for needles and Receiving Stolen Property. The RSP charge stemmed with packages that were found in the vehicle which had evidently been stolen from the porch of a Westlake victim. Both denied any domestic violence had occurred.

OVI with Child

On 2/25/21 at approx. 8:45PM officers responded to a 1 car crash in the parking lot of Sturbridge Apartments on Westford Cir. A vehicle missed the bridge on the property and drove into a creek. Luckily for the driver and her 6yo disabled child who was in the vehicle, the water in the creek was low enough that it did not intrude into the passenger compartment. Officers assisted the driver and child out of the vehicle and noted that the 28yo driver appeared impaired. Both parties were transported to the hospital by EMS to be checked out. The driver, who listed a Cleveland address, was cited with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, child endangering and failure to secure a child in a booster seat. The child was turned over to a sober relative and Cuyahoga County Child and Family services was contacted.

Avoiding Officer

On 2/24/21 at approx. 2:40PM an observant officer noticed a vehicle pulling into and out of residential driveways on Hilliard Blvd. Upon approaching the occupants in the driveway of a residence, the occupants admitted that they did not live there nor had a valid reason for being at the home. The driver finally admitted that she had seen the officer and was trying to avoid being arrested for her warrants. The driver, a 26yo Brunswick resident, had a suspended license and was wanted for a felony possession of cocaine charge out of Medina County and obstruction in Lorain County. The passenger, a 31yo North Ridgeville female, was also wanted out of Lorain and Medina Counties. Both females were arrested and turned over to a Lorain County Deputy.