WEST SHORE BLUES: The Best of the Beats

Professional Purse Snatchers Nabbed

On 6/10/25 at about 2:15PM, WPD received a call from an employee of the Cheesecake Factory on Crocker Rd reporting a theft at the restaurant. A customer had been sitting on the patio enjoying a meal. When the female victim checked her purse, she noticed that her wallet was missing. A review of surveillance video showed a male and female couple acting suspiciously in the patio area. They arrived separately, sat right next to the victim, and left the area in less than 2 minutes. Investigators used surveillance footage to track the couple to a vehicle in the area. License plate readers were scanned to discover that the suspect vehicle SUV was a rental car from Chicago. Officers noted that the suspect vehicle was headed toward the City of Orange so detectives notified our law enforcement partners. Orange officers located the suspect vehicle at the Pinecrest Shopping Center where the suspects were undoubtedly going to victimize additional citizens. The male and female were arrested and transported back to Westlake to answer to charges of felony theft and misuse of credit cards. Video was obtained from local stores where the suspects were using the stolen cards. On 6/12/25, an additional victim came forward. This person had been shopping at the Westlake Marc’s store on 6/10 when her wallet was lifted. The same suspects targeted open purses at both establishments. WPD reminds people to be aware of their surroundings no matter where they are shopping or dining. Leaving purses open and accessible, especially when they are hung on the backs of chairs or in shopping carts can allow thieves the opportunity to quickly lift valuables and flee the area without being detected.

Arrested subjects include a 57yo woman who listed a Denver Colorado address and a 57yo man who listed a Cleveland address.

Who Hit My Vehicle?

On 6/17/25 at approx. 1:50AM, WPD received a 911 call reporting that a Mercedes vehicle had been driving recklessly on Clague Rd. The driver had lost control and struck utility poles and a tree in the area of St. Bernadette’s Parish. Upon arrival, the officers noted that the driver was alone in the vehicle. He indicated that he thought that someone had hit his vehicle. Investigation revealed that no other vehicle was involved. The man appeared to be under the influence and seemed confused about the situation. The 42yo Fairview Park man was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. He was charged with driving under suspension, failure to control, failure to wear a seatbelt and OVI. He refused a chemical test.

Jackpot!

On 6/17/25 at approx. 8PM officers stopped a vehicle on Crocker Rd at the Bay Village line for traffic violations. The driver, a 47yo Lorain woman, had a suspended license. The passenger identified himself by name after saying that he could not remember his social security number. When questioned about the fact that his photo did not match the identity provided, he admitted he used his brother’s info. The 37yo Lorain man was found to have an active felony warrant out of Lorain County. Investigation revealed that the vehicle contained multiple hypodermic needles, a scale with residue, containers with suspected methamphetamine and heroin as well as burnt metal that appeared to be used to ignite narcotics. The female admitted the illicit items were hers. She was arrested and charged with driving under suspension as well as felony drug violations. The man was turned over to Lorain County Deputies on his warrant.

Felony Drug Possession

On 6/22/25 at about 9:30PM, officers stopped a vehicle on I90 E/B at Clague for speeding. The driver, a 37yo Maple Hts man, was found to have a suspended driver’s license. After observing signs of drug use in the car, the officers investigated further. About 7 grams of suspected crack cocaine was located in the center console. The man denied knowledge of the white, rock like substance that was contained in a small baggie closed with a knot on top. Reports note that the suspect had a history of drug possession, trafficking, weapons offenses and probation violations dating back to 2008. He was arrested and charged with felony drug possession, driving under suspension and speeding.

Surveillance Finds Bike Thief

On 6/24/25 at about 3PM, a Westlake resident called to report that their bicycle had been stolen. The young mother had gone to the pool at Clague Park and parked the bicycle in a bike rack. When she returned several hours later, the $800 bike with attached baby seat was missing. A review of surveillance video showed that a shirtless man walking around the area for about 2 hours apparently scouting out something to easily steal. He even walked a dog around the park while he prowls. Eventually a red truck is seen pulling into the nearby parking lot. The dog was handed off and the canine get away vehicle left the area. The suspect is seen walking toward the bike rack and fleeing on the citizen’s bicycle. Apparently, the man and the woman driving the red truck eventually meet up as the stolen bike was pictured in the rear of the truck on Westlake License Plate Readers. Investigators identified both subjects using police databases. A felony warrant was obtained for the 35yo Cleveland man and officers began to look out for the suspect truck. On 6/30/25, the red truck hit on Westlake Flock License Plate Readers and patrol officers stopped the suspect on Center Ridge near Columbia Rd. At first, the Cleveland man denied any knowledge of the theft but soon apologized and offered to retrieve the stolen merchandise if he could get out of the charge. Detectives declined this offer but explained that court proceedings could go much better if the bike was recovered. Officers responded to a residence on Ira Ave in Cleveland and recovered the intact bicycle. It was returned to the grateful resident that day. Investigators did not believe that the female was directly involved in the theft. They were unsure about the extent of the dog’s knowledge of his criminal handler’s behavior.

Car Flipped

On 6/24/25 at approx. 9PM, multiple callers reported a motor vehicle crash at Dover Center and Hilliard with one car “flipped over.” Investigation revealed that a vehicle on Dover was struck by a vehicle on Hilliard that entered the intersection after disobeying a red light. One car ended up striking a utility pole while the red light violator ended up on the roof. 2 people were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A 36yo female driver was charged with disobeying a traffic control device.

Some Friend!

On 6/25/25 at about 9PM, officers stopped a vehicle on Columbia Rd at I90 after learning that the license plate had expired about a month prior. The driver said that he did not have his license with him but identified himself by providing a social security number. Officers noted that the person associated with the social security number had no resemblance to the man driving the van. He was ordered out of the van and immediately complied. When confronted about the fake identity, the man admitted he had used his old friend’s soc. He was found to have 4 outstanding felony warrants from various jurisdictions. Each was for larceny. The 52yo Cleveland man was charged with falsification and was later turned over to Elyria PD to answer to their warrant.

Misuse of Credit Card

On 6/25/25 at approx. 9:15PM, officers were called to the WestSpring Inn for a reported theft. An Uber driver reported that she had just dropped a man off at the hotel. She soon learned that he had located a credit card in the rear of her car which had been left there by the previous client. The man had already used the credit card at nearby businesses including the adjacent hibachi restaurant. Officers arrived to find that the owner of the credit card, the Uber driver and the suspect male were all in the parking lot. The man, a 57yo that listed a Fishkill, NY address, admitted to the officers that he had “made a mistake..” He was trying to work out a payment for the fraudulent use. The man gave the Keybank card back to the victim and attempted to pay her the $123.78 via Apple Pay. The man did not have sufficient funds to pay the debt. He was arrested and charged with misuse of a credit card and theft.

MVA Rollover on I-90

On 6/26/25 at about 12:50AM, officers responded to a report of a serious crash on I90. A 911 caller indicated that a vehicle had struck a dump truck in the construction zone around Columbia Rd. Officers confirmed that this collision caused a Subaru Outback to roll over. Luckily, the there were no serious injuries reported although the female driver of the Subaru was transported to the hospital. The 33yo Lakewood female appeared intoxicated and was charged with OVI. The driver of the dump truck reported no injuries. The highway was closed for less than an hour when the crash was investigated and crews cleaned up the debris.

Guns and Drugs

On 6/26/25 at approx. 1:50AM, officers stopped a vehicle on I90 E/B at Columbia for equipment violations. The officers detected signs of drug use in the vehicle and asked the operator to step from the car. He refused until additional officers were summoned and arrived on scene. The man was arrested for failing to comply when he finally did listen to the repeated orders. The female in the passenger seat did step from the car when told to do so. She advised that she had a gun in her purse when asked by the officers. Investigation revealed that the passenger was allowed to possess the gun. After the stop was complete she was allowed to leave with the car and her legally possessed firearm. Investigation revealed that the driver, a 45 yo Cleveland Hts man, was in possession of a loaded 9mm firearm along with suspected crack cocaine and at least 90 suspected MDMA/Ecstasy pills. In contrast, the male was not allowed to have a gun as he had a recent felony drug trafficking conviction in Cuyahoga County. Reports indicate that the man had a criminal history of drug and firearm arrests along with felonious assault related offenses. The man was charged with felony drug violations as well as having weapons while under disability. Additional charges will be presented to the county grand jury.

Falling Down Drunk

On 6/27/25 at about 1AM, Officers on I90 noticed that a Chrysler 200 appeared to be driving over the speed limit. Upon following the car, they also noted that it’s left turn signal was flashing despite the fact that it changed lanes to the right. After witnessing the vehicle drive onto the shoulder and back to the traffic lane, they stopped the car at Cahoon Rd. The operator, a 48yo Parma man, appeared intoxicated and slurred that he was headed home from Sheffield. Reports note that he had to brace himself against the car door to stop from falling out of the car. He was field tested and arrested for OVI. The vehicle was impounded towed from the highway. The driver submitted a breath sample and was found to be almost 2 and ½ times over the legal limit. He was placed under an immediate license suspension and was charged with OVI, failure to maintain marked lanes and a turn signal violation. He had 1 prior OVI conviction on his record.

Throwing Cookies

On 6/29/25 at approx. 3:45PM, officers were called to Jimmy John’s Sandwich Shop for a reported altercation. The manager called for help after a female customer got upset with the staff over the amount of time that it was taking with her order. A verbal altercation escalated to the 48yo woman throwing cookies at the assistant manager and other employees. The irate customer left before officers were called. While management did not want to press charges, they did want the woman told that she was no longer welcome on the property. She was advised by officers and reportedly was apologetic.

Missing Child Located

On 7/3/25 at about 8:15PM, a concerned mother called 911 to report that they had not seen their 4yo son in 5 minutes. He had slipped away from caregivers while at the playground at Clague Park. What made things even more urgent was that the child was Autistic, non-verbal and would not respond to his name. Officers arrived quickly and within 5 minutes of learning about the missing child were conducting searches on the ground and by drone. Within 11 minutes of the 911 call, a WPD drone operator spotted the child playing near the drainage stream in the middle of the park. The child was soon reunited with the parent and was unharmed.

He Forgot His Purse

On 7/3/25 at approx. 11:30PM, WPD received a call from the manager of a restaurant on Crocker Rd. reporting found property. What was alarming to the manager was that the forgotten bag contained drugs and a loaded handgun. Officers responded and collected the black cross body Louis Vuitton bag which had a revolver and a small amount of suspected marijuana along with a wallet and ID. The owner had already called the establishment and was told to respond to the police station to retrieve his items. Unfortunately for him, the Oakwood Village 38yo was not allowed to possess a firearm due to being the subject of a temporary protection order. When he arrived at the WPD station he was placed into custody. The man was charged with violating a protection order. The handgun was placed into evidence.

OVI

On June 15 at 2:32 am, BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Lake Road and Bayview Road. Upon speaking with the driver, it was suspected they were under the influence. The driver submitted to standardized field sobriety testing and subsequently arrested for OVI. The driver was brought back to BVPD jail to be booked. The driver submitted a breath sample, which yielded a BAC of .166%. The 50-year-old Westlake resident was charged with OVI, marked lanes, and turn signals. He will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Active Warrant

On June 15 at 4:53 pm, a BVPD unit was out at Huntington Beach checking on a male with an active warrant for Domestic Violence through Cleveland PD. The male was detained, and the warrant was confirmed. BVPD conveyed the male to BVPD jail to hold until Cleveland PD arrived. The 32-year-old Garfield Heights resident was charged with open container and released to CPD. The male will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

License Plate Light

On June 15 at 10:17 pm, BVPD conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near Columbia just into Westlake. The driver was given a verbal warning for license plate light. The passenger had an active warrant through Brook Park PD. The male was detained, and the warrant was confirmed. The male was transported and turned over to Brook Park PD.

Purring Like a Kitten!

On June 16 at 7:50 pm, BVPD was contacted for assistance in trying to rescue a cat. The vehicle owner discovered there was a meowing coming from the engine area of his car. When searched, a kitten was seen hiding in the front area of the vehicle. BVPD members were able to retrieve the kitten, ultimately finding it a good home.

Purse Located

On June 16 at 10:00 pm, a resident at the Knickerbocker Apartments believed someone stole her purse from her apartment. BVPD responded and assisted in reviewing her security camera footage, which showed no one had entered her apartment. The officer helped back track her steps throughout the day. Officers eventually located her purse at the apartment’s shared garden which she had gone to earlier in the day.

Suspicious Flashlights

On June 16 at 11:17 pm, a resident in 27000 block of Knickerbocker Road called BVPD reporting two individuals with flashlights were walking around a neighbor’s home. BVPD responded and spoke with the caller. The caller gave great information which helped locate the vehicle which had left prior to police arrival. BVPD conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and spoke with the driver and passenger. Upon speaking with them, they stated their car broke down at their family member’s house and they had to transfer items from one work van to the other. They were very understanding and thankful for the watchful neighbors.

Mental Health Crisis

On June 17 at 2:00 am, Rocky River PD requested mutual aid in locating a male who was having a mental health crisis and may be in Bay. BVPD located the male near Lake Road and Cahoon Road. Officers spoke with the male until RRPD could respond and transport the male to the hospital.

Complicated Car Crash

On June 18 at 10:00 pm, a resident near Lake Road and Rye Gate called BVPD reporting a male had just crashed a vehicle in his front yard. The male was currently walking away from the scene of the accident towards a neighbor’s home. BVPD responded and detained the male. Westlake PD assisted with translating for officers on scene as the male did not speak English. The male gave several fake names and had a fake Texas driver’s license. The male was arrested and released on a personal bond. He was then turned over to North Ridgeville on an active warrant.  The male was charged with Obstruction, willful or wanton operation, driving over tree lawn and operating without a driver’s license. He will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Felony Warrant

On June 19 at 11:09 pm, BVPD unit conducted a felony traffic stop near Lake Road and Bassett Road as the registered owner was showing a felony warrant out of Summit County Sheriff’s office. The register owner was detained and gave consent to search on her vehicle. BVPD located suspected drug inside the vehicle. The female was arrested and conveyed back to BVPD jail to be booked and housed on possession of drugs.  She was held until her arraignment through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Suspicious Behavior

On June 21 at 10:25 am, BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Lake Road and Pinewood Drive. The vehicle was slow to stop and upon speaking with driver and passenger officers noticed signs of deception and suspicious behavior. While officers spoke with the male operator, he attempted to discard suspected crack cocaine from his pants pockets. The male was arrested and conveyed back to BVPD jail to be booked. The male was charged possession of drugs, tampering with evidence, operator’s license expired, weaving, and obeying traffic control devices. The 39-year-old Westlake resident will face charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Diabetic Emergency

On June 22, at 2:57 pm, a caller reporting a male sleeping in a vehicle near Dairy Queen. BVPD and BVFD made contact with the driver. The male was having a diabetic emergency and was assisted.

Getting Her Dad Back

On June 22 at 11:35 pm, a resident on 911 called to report a possible child enticement that occurred earlier in the day. BVPD responded to the home to speak with the family as WLPD assisted. A BVPD Detective responded and spoke with the young juvenile who had reported the incident. Upon interviewing the child, she admitted to making up the story to get her dad back in the house.

He Got Away

On June 23 at midnight, Metro Parks PD requested mutual aid in connection to a traffic stop they were on where a male fled on foot. BVPD responded to the area of Lake/Porter Creek. BVPD assisted but the male was not located.

Panic Attack

On June 24 at 1:32 pm, BVPD conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle stopped in the roadway on Wolf/Douglas. Upon speaking with the driver they had pulled over due to experiencing a panic attack. The driver refused medical attention and stated he would be okay to continue on driving after speaking with officers.

Stray Dog Returned

On June 24 at 10:13 pm, two juveniles arrived in the BVPD lobby with a stray dog they found at Dover Commons. The dog had no collar, tags or chip. The owner later contacted BVPD to report her dog missing and was advised her dog had been found. The dog and owner were reunited, and the owner was issued a citation for dog at larger. She will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Private Property

On June 25 at 4:20 pm, a resident on 911 called reporting that a Hispanic female had walked up their driveway, and when approached, began to yell at the homeowner. BVPD responded and located the female near Bradley Park. The female admitted to walking up the driveway to look at the homeowner’s plants. The female was identified and advised to keep off private property. She was sent on her way.

Phone Rage

On June 25 at 6:49 pm a passerby contacted BVPD to report a male on a skateboard on Lake Rd near Bay Boat Club. The caller then witnessed the male screaming and slamming his skateboard on the bridge after he dropped his phone. BVPD responded and toured the area but were unable to locate the male.

Welfare Check

On June 26 at 5:00 pm, an employee requested a welfare check of their co-worker who was a no call-no show to work. BVPD responded and made contact the individual who was advised to contact their job.

Out of Town

On June 26 at 7:00 pm, an Aberdeen Road resident called BVPD requesting a welfare check of their new neighbors. The residents were concerned because they hadn’t seen them in several days and they had left their trash cans and packages out. BVPD responded and were able to make contact with the resident’s landlord. The landlord was able to make contact with his tenants who checked okay and had family members coming to take care of the property while they were away.

First Time Driver

On June 26 at 8:00 pm, a driver contacted BVPD to report a possible intoxicated driver east bound on Wolf near the Bay Village High School. The caller reported the vehicle was swerving and going at a low speed. BVPD located the vehicle which had pulled into the middle school and the driver and passenger were switching seats. Upon speaking with the occupants, it was discovered it was the driver’s first time on the roadway with their temps. The parent advised the vehicle behind was following too closely and beeping multiple times which made their child nervous.