WEST SHORE BLUES: The Best of the Beats

Westlake Resident Donates Ballistic Vest to WPD K9

A huge thank you goes out to Westlake resident Pat Siffermann who donated a ballistic vest for WPD K9 Vince.  This was a very generous gift and shows her commitment for the safety of the city’s K9 officers.  Pat is affiliated with the NorthEast Ohio SPCA, whose Executive Director Jeffrey Kocian, also a supportive Westlake resident, was on hand for the presentation.  The support from citizens and businesses is always appreciated.

Congratulations, Officers

Congratulations and Welcome to 3 new Westlake police officers sworn in last week by Mayor Clough. Adam Reyes, Jaimie Rossoll and Victoria Kirby all excelled through the extensive background and interview process before joining WPD from other police departments. A passion for service, adaptability and humility were mentioned several times at the ceremony.

The ceremony also saw veteran Officer Steve Paulick awarded the 2022 WPD Officer of the year, CSO Tim Gut awarded WPD Employee of the Year and Officer Denny Funari pinned with Badge #1 as the current most senior patrol officer with almost 31 years of service to the city of Westlake. “We are proud of our team which keeps getting better.”

Taxpayer Warning

With the tax season upon us, the Westlake Police would like to remind taxpayers to be aware that criminals continue to make aggressive calls posing as IRS agents in hopes of stealing taxpayer money or personal information.

Please protect yourself if you receive a call like this and HANG UP! Never buy gift cards to pay for any debt – Government agencies DO NOT accept gift cards for payment.

Wrong Way on I-90

On 3/25/23 at approx. 11PM WPD received numerous calls from alarmed drivers reporting a Honda mini-van driving the wrong way on I90 in the area of Crocker Rd. A WPD officer found the vehicle which actually drove around the cruiser going the wrong way before turning around on the highway. The officers stopped the vehicle around Dover Center. The female operator appeared confused and intoxicated. She was field tested and arrested for OVI. At the WPD jail, the 37yo Illinois resident took a breath test and was found to be over 3x the legal limit. The driver was charged with driving the wrong way on the highway, OVI and Prohibited BAC. An additional charge of misdemeanor reckless operation will be added at court. This was the subject’s 2nd Ohio OVI arrest.

Car Rustler Round-Up

On 3/27/23 at about 4:45AM WPD received a call about suspicious persons in the neighborhood of Quail Hollow. A resident observed someone trying the car doors of their vehicle in the driveway. Several officers arrived and while checking the neighborhood, observed 4 vehicles traveling together exiting the development. This was unusual for that time of morning. An officer attempted to stop one of the SUVs. The group fled N/B on Clague Rd. WPD pursued as the vehicles entered I90E/B. The pursuit was terminated due to safety concerns in the area of McKinley. Investigation revealed that 2 of the vehicles had just been stolen from Interlachen. Unfortunately, the resident there accidently left the keys to the vehicles inside one of the cars which they believed that they had locked. Another of the vehicles had been stolen with the keys out of a driveway in North Olmsted. One vehicle was later recovered in South Euclid while the other was found in Cleveland Heights. Both vehicles taken from Westlake were recovered. Detectives collected evidence for lab analysis.

Quick Change Artists Hit Crocker Park

On 3/28/23 at approx. 10AM a store at Crocker Park called to report that one of their employees had fallen victim to a “quick change” scam person. Two men entered the store and exchanged money before they picked out several pairs of sunglasses. While exchanging cash with the cashier, one of the males used slight of hand to take some of the cash back. In all the store was out approx. $2000 in cash and merchandise. WPD is seeking the public’s help in identifying the persons in the surveillance footage. If you know these males or have additional information, please contact the WPD non-emergency phone number at 440-871-3311. This is in reference to Report #2307805 and is being investigated by Ptl. Ribich.

Illegal Drugs & Handguns

On 3/30/23 at approx. 1:15PM officers stopped a vehicle on I90 for traffic violations. The officers noted that there was a handgun visible in the car along with signs of illegal drug use. Investigation revealed that due to prior criminal convictions, the driver and registered owner of the car was not allowed to have the loaded handgun which was found. The 42yo Bedford male was arrested and charged with having weapons under disability and possession of the dozens of suspected oxycodone pills which was a felony.

Fraud Victim

On 3/31/23 at about 9:30AM a resident came to WPD to report being the victim of a fraud. The female had received a pop-up on her computer indicating that she had to call Microsoft due to an issue with her computer. The victim called the number provided on the message and spoke to a person in “support.” The fake support person said that they had already contacted the FBI about the viruses on the resident’s computer and needed the victim’s banking information to secure her accounts. After divulging the personal info, the victim was talked into purchasing gift cards to provide to the fraudsters. WPD took a fraud report. The phone number called was an internet number that had already been disconnected.

Felony Possession

On 3/5/23 at about 11:15PM an officer stopped a vehicle on I90 in the area of Columbia. He had first discovered that the driver appeared to be the registered owner of the vehicle and had a suspended license. The operator was confirmed to be 23yo Meth Moeuth Jr. He in fact did have a child support license suspension. While impounding the vehicle, officers also found a loaded semi-auto handgun. The problem was that the driver, a resident of Cleveland, was a convicted felon with past crimes of attempted felonious assault and domestic violence. The driver was charged with driving under suspension as well as felony possession of weapons under disability.

Lost Leprechaun

On 3/18/23 at approx. 12:45AM an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle on I90 W/B just into Avon. The vehicle had been swerving between lanes on the highway. The female operator said that she was just trying to get home. The officer noted that she was wearing green clothing and St. Patrick’s Day beads. She indicated that she was headed toward Kent, OH. The officer noted that this was in the opposite direction than she was going. The driver appeared intoxicated and field sobriety tests were administered. The Kent resident was arrested for OVI. She then asked the officer if she was in Streetsboro. The vehicle was impounded and the driver refused a breath test. She was placed under a license suspension and charged with OVI and marked lanes violations. She was also cited with driving under suspension as her license was still not valid from a 2016 OVI.

No Place to Stay

On 3/19/23 at approx. 1:20AM WPD received a call from employees at a restaurant in the area of Columbia and Detroit reporting that a male was trying to get inside the closed business. After the employee told him to go away, the man reportedly drove away. Officers located the described vehicle in the lot of the Super 8 Motel on Sperry. The suspect was already passed out behind the wheel of the still running SUV. When he woke up, the investigators noted the man appeared intoxicated. He said he was staying at the hotel but admitted he did not have a room. The 38yo Cleveland resident was field tested and arrested for OVI. The driver also had a loaded handgun in his pocket. At the WPD jail the suspect tested 2x the legal limit by breath. He was charged with felony improper handling of a firearm, OVI and open container for an open bottle of Tequila found on the passenger floorboard. Suspected marijuana and a scale were confiscated and entered into evidence.

Attempted Vehicle Break-Ins

On 3/20/23 at about 2:30AM WPD received a call from a resident on Persimmon Dr reporting that their car alarm went off. When the resident looked outside they saw a male in a hoodie running from the area and jumping fences. WPD responded and deployed a drone to check the area but no one was located. In all, WPD learned of 2 vehicle break-ins that were attempted that night along with 1 unlocked vehicle that had been rifled through. In addition to Persimmon, streets impacted were Nottingham and Pin Oak Way. Nothing was reported missing. WPD reminds residents to check their vehicles every night no matter where they are parked. Remove keys, fobs and valuables and make sure vehicles and garage doors are locked.

Potato Burrito Rage

On 3/20/23 at approx. 9AM WPD received a call from an employee at the Taco Bell on Columbia indicating that one of their drive through customers damaged their property in a rage. Officers arrived to investigate and learned that although the suspect was gone, he had threatened to come back and shoot employees. The man had driven through the drive through and attempted to order a Grilled Breakfast Potato Burrito. When told that the restaurant was only taking mobile and door dash orders at that time he became irate and smashed a screen on the drive through speaker. He continued around and punched the drive through window before threatening employees and fleeing the area. Officers were able to positively identify the man as a 28yo Cleveland resident. WPD coordinated with the US Marshalls Violent Fugitive Task Force to take the man into custody the next morning. He was charged with felony vandalism and menacing. He had a history of allegedly brandishing a firearm at a neighbor and felonious assault charges. A protection order was issued ordering the suspect to stay away from Taco Bell and its employees.

Fraud Incidents on Upswing

North Ridgeville Police have had an uptick in frauds being reported over the last few months. Here are some that they wanted to share with everyone:

Counterfeit Gold for Sale

In early December, a male was arrested and charged with selling counterfeit gold through Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. He would reach out to people who posted ads and offer them “UNBELIEVABLY LOW prices on gold bars and coins!” Through investigation, the male was tied to other frauds and found to have scammed tens of thousands of dollars from unknowing victims.

$14K Bail Bond Scam

In late December, a North Ridgeville resident was defrauded out of $14,000 through a nationwide bail bond scam. This is when a scammer calls the victim and tells them that their family member has been arrested. They convince them to package money for bail and send it with an unsuspecting Uber driver. The money is driven to a public location and claimed by the scammer. Detectives are working with federal authorities as it has been traced back to a Central American crime ring.

$100,000 Romance Scam

Earlier this month, an elderly female fell prey to a romance scam in which she sent over $100,000 to someone she thought was a romantic interest from Italy. Fortunately, she reported it immediately and officers were able to stop the transfer of funds.

Party in the Park

On 03/26/2023, at 0222 hrs, a BVPD officer stopped to check an occupied vehicle parked in the Cahoon Path parking lot for a curfew violation. After making contact with the driver, the officer suspected the driver had been drinking. Field sobriety tests were administered, and as a result, the driver was arrested for OVI. In a search of the vehicle incident to the arrest, officers located a handgun. While searching the driver, officers located a baggie of suspected narcotics. The 46-yoa Westlake resident will face charges at RRMC for OVI, Park Curfew, Possession of Cocaine, and Improperly Handling a Forearm in a Motor Vehicle.

School Bus Scofflaw

On 03/24/2023, at 0808 hrs, a City of Bay Village School Bus driver reported that someone had passed his stopped school bus. The bus was stopped with red lights flashing and stop sign deployed, picking up a student on Lake Rd. at Queenswood. While stopped, a westbound vehicle passed the bus. After reviewing the video and a brief investigation, the driver was identified. The 26-yoa Rocky River resident was cited for Passing a Stopped School Bus, and will face charges at RRMC.

Peeping Contractors

On 03/24/2023, at 1131 hrs, a Darbys Run resident called BVPD to report two males were ringing her doorbell and looking in her windows. She called because she was out of town and was not expecting anyone. Responding officers located the males who indicated they were contractors and they were there to do some work. Officers located the property manager who confirmed the males were there to do work, but he had inadvertently given them the wrong address. They were given the correct address and sent on their way.

Suspicious Pet Door

On 03/22/2023, at 0827 hrs, BVPD received a complaint of a house in the 400 block of Parkside with its side door standing open. Responding officers located the house and made contact with the homeowner. The owner stated he leaves the door open for his pets to come in and out of the house. He was advised of the complaint.

Identity Theft

On 03/22/2023, at 1753 hrs, a resident in the 23000 block of Lake Rd. called BVPD to report they were the victim of Identity Theft. Someone had used her personal information to open up four credit cards in New York. Police are investigating.

Identity Fraud

On 03/13/2023, at 1308 hrs, a Powell resident reported she had been the victim of Identity Fraud. Someone had opened up multiple credit cards using her personal information. Police are investigating.

On 03/16/2023, at 1041 hrs, an Ashton Lane resident reported that someone was attempting to open up a credit line with her personal information. They were unsuccessful in their attempts. Her call was documented.

Stranger at the Window

On 03/16/2023, at 1830 hrs, a Nantucket Row resident reported she observed a female looking in her windows near her back porch. Officers searched the area, but could not locate the female. Special attention was given to her house the rest of the evening.

Doorbell Dash

On 03/17/2023, at 2253 hrs, a Turnbridge resident reported someone had rung his doorbell and left the area. Responding officers checked the area but were unable to locate the culprits.

Scam Letter

On 03/18/2023, at 1511 hrs, a resident reported she received a letter in the mail that she believed to be scam. She received the letter from a law firm in Aurora, Colorado, claiming she owed $50 for a parking fine. They had her correct name and license plate, but she had not been to Colorado. She was told to ignore the letter. BVPD reminds residents to be cautious of unsolicited requests received in the mail.

OVI

On 03/18/2023, at 2354 hrs, a BVPD officer stopped a vehicle on Lake Rd. near Clague for a traffic violation. After speaking with male the driver, the officer suspected the driver had been drinking. Field sobriety tests were administered, and as a result, the driver was arrested for OVI. The 45-yoa Bay Village resident will face charges at RRMC.

Loud Party

On 03/19/2023, at 0021 hrs, BVPD officers were dispatched to the 28000 block of Osborn for a loud party. Officers spoke with the residents and had them turn the music down for the remainder of their event.

Home Theft

On 03/20/2023, a resident in the 300 block of Bassett reported a theft. Someone had stolen approximately $9,000 in commemorative coins and an unknown amount of foreign currency from her house recently. Police are investigating.