WEST SHORE BLUES: The Best of the Beats

A Guy Named Chris

On 11/15/25 WPD officers on patrol noticed a vehicle parked at a business at Center Ridge and Clague Rds. The license plate on the green Jeep belonged to a maroon Chevrolet. While inspecting the VIN plate on the SUV, the operator approached. Officers soon learned that the 59yo Cleveland man had an entered felony warrant out of Cleveland PD for a weapons offense. The man explained that he had purchased the vehicle from a guy named “Chris” on Facebook Marketplace but he did not have the title. The vehicle was impounded and the suspect was arrested for his warrant. The man was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after a burnt glass meth pipe was found in the SUV.

Unfortunately for Him

On 11/16/25 at approx. 2:15PM, an officer stopped a vehicle on Columbia at Detroit for a moving violation. The driver was the registered owner who also had a suspended driver’s license. When asked, the 29yo Olmsted Falls man admitted he had a Glock handgun in a bag on the back seat. Unfortunately for him he had a conviction for a violent crime in 2023 which prohibited him from possessing a firearm. The man was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon and driving under suspension. The vehicle was turned over to a valid operator who arrived on scene.

Sorry Roommates

On 11/19/25 at about 12:15PM, officers learned that a female staying at the WestSpring Inn had a drug warrant out of Northfield PD. The 52yo Akron woman was found to be staying in one of the rooms. She answered the door after officers knocked. The woman was taken into custody for the warrant. 2 men in the room were also identified. One of them, a 32yo Cleveland resident, was found to have a felony warrant out of Summit County as well as 2 misdemeanor warrants from Parma and Parma Hts. Investigation revealed that the trio had numerous used needles, scales with suspected drug residue and a small amount of suspected narcotics in their possession. The two persons with warrants were turned over to other agencies. The last man was released on scene after being evicted by hotel management. The suspected narcotics were sent to the lab for analysis. Drug possession charges are expected.

Missed the Bus

On 11/20/25 at approx. 12:15AM, a man called WPD to report he missed the last public bus for the night and had no way to return to his home in Cleveland. Officers responded and spoke with the man on Crocker Rd. He was given a courtesy ride to public square in Cleveland to catch public transportation which was still operating there.

Failed Escape Plan

On 11/20/25 at approx. 9:15PM, officers on patrol noticed an unoccupied Jeep parked in the lot of Dave and Busters on First St. The SUV had no license plate visible so the officers investigated further. Whomever had been operating the vehicle had also covered up the VIN plate in the front windshield. While officers looked for another source to identify the vehicle, 2 persons were seen exiting the establishment. They appeared suspicious as they saw the officers around the parked Jeep. The couple immediately turned around and reentered the bar. A bit later, a Tesla was seen approaching the restaurant. The same 2 persons entered what turned out to be an Uber. Officers stopped the ride share after it made a moving violation. Noting that the man in the back of the Uber matched an ID seen on the inside of the suspicious Jeep, the officers began to piece the crime together. The Jeep was entered as being stolen from a dealership in Wickliffe. The Jeep SRT was towed from the scene. The man, who denied ever being in the Jeep, was arrested and charged with felony Receiving Stolen Property. His female companion, who separately admitted to arriving with the man at Dave and Busters in the stolen Jeep, was released from the scene in the Uber.

Car v Pole

On 11/21/25 at about 6:45AM, officers responded to the report of a 1 car crash on Detroit Rd at Crocker. A Ford Mustang was found to have struck a utility pole near the intersection. Luckily, the 19yo driver was unharmed. The man was cited with failure to control. The vehicle had to be towed from the scene and CEI was contacted to check on their electric pole.

Doorbell Evidence

On 11/21/25 at approx. 6:15PM, officers were dispatched to the area of Fox Run and Pebblebrook Ln for a reported reckless Lincoln Navigator. Residents there reported that they saw one of their neighbors driving over front lawns and sidewalks. Officers responded to the area but could not find the SUV. In speaking with the complainants, officers learned that there was concern with a specific neighbor’s vehicle operation. The alarm was increased as there were multiple kids who play in the neighborhood on the same lawns and sidewalks. An investigation revealed a doorbell camera that captured the Lincoln driving recklessly as reported. A 42yo Westlake man was cited with reckless operation.

Safe at the Library

On 11/22/25 at about 7PM, WPD received a call from a senior living facility on Center Ridge reporting that one of their residents was missing. The elderly man had gone for a walk but they did not know where he was headed. WPD responded and began to search the area. The 78yo was located safety at Porter Public Library. He was escorted back to the facility.

Theft of Wallet

On 11/22/25 at approx. 3:30PM, WPD was called to Trader Joes for a theft of a customer’s wallet. A female customer was shopping and did not notice that her wallet had been lifted out of her purse until she went to check out. She did not remember anyone suspicious being around her in the aisles. A check of the stolen credit cards showed that they had already been used at the Apple Store about an hour earlier. Officers responded there but the suspects were already gone. Both Trader Joes and Apple required specific paperwork from the investigating officers to view or obtain video of the suspect(s). As of this writing WPD is waiting for surveillance from the stores to continue the investigation.

Handgun Missing

On 11/22/25 at around midnight, WPD received a call about a theft from auto in a public garage at Crocker Park. The vehicle had been parked between 4PM and the time of the call. When the man returned to his vehicle he noticed that it had been rummaged through. A Taurus 9mm handgun was missing from the vehicle. A report was taken and the gun was entered into police databases as being stolen. Officers noted no signs of forced entry to the Chevy.

Blame it on the Sun

On 11/24/25 at approx. 8:10AM, WPD officers responded to a report of a vehicle that struck a concrete and brick mailbox on Schwartz Rd. A black Mercedez had heavy front end damage from the collision with the structure. Luckily no injuries were reported. The driver reported that they had been distracted by sun glare before the vehicle left the roadway and struck the mailbox. The female was cited with failure to control.

Anxiously Depositing Cash

On 11/26/25 at approx. 1:30PM, WPD received a call from the clerk of a convenience store on Center Ridge Rd at Dover Center. The observant employee had tried to intervene on behalf of a female customer who was feeding large amounts of cash into a crypto ATM at the store. The customer did not believe they were being scammed. Officers arrived and found the 71yo still “anxiously depositing” cash into the machine. Officers told her to stop but she did not believe the uniformed men. The officers had to talk to her for several minutes before she finally was convinced that there was an issue. She was still on the phone with the scammer at the time. The incident started that morning when the victim received a pop-up message on her home computer. The message instructed her to call a provided support phone number due to a supposed issue with the operating system. She called the number and was connected to a man with a foreign accent who said he was a representative from Apple, Inc. The man talked her into allowing remote access to the computer while asking about her bank. The scammer talked the victim into believing that there was a problem with her accounts and she was at risk of losing $18,000 in connection with pornographic websites out of China or Mexico. She was connected with a fake fraud department for her bank who persuaded her to go to a bank and withdraw as much cash as they would allow. The scammer even told her to give the teller a story about needing cash to buy a car. The perpetrator kept the woman on the phone as she took out cash and responded to the particular crypto ATM as instructed. The victim had deposited approx. $5500 before being persuaded to stop. The Westlake Detective Bureau is attempting to recover the lost funds.

Drugs & Kids in Car

On 11/26/25 at approx. 8PM an officer stopped a vehicle at Crocker and Detroit for a traffic violation. The 27yo female driver was traveling with her 2 young children. Officers noted signs of drug use in the vehicle. Investigation revealed that the woman was in possession of a narcotic pill and a box of Suboxone strips. She did not have a prescription for the Schedule III Controlled Substances. The children were left with their grandmother who was on scene while the driver was escorted away from view of the children and placed into custody for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. The Cleveland resident was processed at the Westlake Jail and later released with a court date to appear.

Drunkin at Dunkin

On 11/28/25 at about 6:30PM, WPD received a call from a concerned citizen reporting a reckless driver on I90. The Hyundai was reported to be weaving in and out of traffic barely missing other cars on the highway before exiting at Columbia. The complainant saw the female operator pull into he parking lot of Dunkin before opening the door and vomiting on the pavement. Officers arrived and found the vehicle in the parking lot. The 32yo operator, who listed an address in Addison, TX, indicated that she was not feeling well. The officers noted that she had the odor of an alcoholic beverage as well as vomit. The driver slurred her speech while explaining that she was headed from Cleveland to Northfield. Reports note that geographically, this route should not include a stop in Westlake. The woman said that she did not have that much to drink before she was field tested and arrested for OVI. She was transported to the Westlake Jail where she refused a breath test. Her license was immediately suspended for the refusal.

Footprints in the Snow

On 12/1/25 at approx. 6:30AM, officers were dispatched to the Hunters Chase Apartments on Detroit Rd for a reported theft from auto. A female resident said that someone entered her vehicle during the overnight hours and took credit cards and other valuables. Officers arrived to find footprints in the snow indicating that 1 person had walked around numerous parked cars in the complex. They were apparently looking for unlocked vehicles. The victim in this case indicated that she thought she had locked the car but a window was partially down. No signs of forced entry were seen. Her credit card was already used at a Walmart in Akron for over $400 in merchandise. Walmart loss prevention did find the date and time the stolen card was used but indicated that the suspect was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and black face mask when checking out. Officers are still waiting for surveillance footage from the store. One other vehicle appeared to be ransacked in the parking lot but officers were unable to make contact with the owner.

Someone Doesn’t Like Me

On November 9 at 10:30pm, a resident arrived on station to report a Theft. The female reported that someone had recently come into her apartment and stolen $700. Further, someone was purposely damaging her vehicle and had taken two of her handicap placards. Bay Village Detectives are investigating.

Email Threat?

On November 14 at 3:27pm, Bay Village Police were contacted by an out-of-state investment company who had received a threatening email from one of their customers who lives in Bay Village. Bay Village Police were dispatched to the home of the suspect male who spoke with police. After an investigation, it was determined there were no threats made. The company was made aware of the findings.

Fraud Report

On November 14 at 7:11pm, a resident arrived on station to report an instance of Fraud. Police spoke with the female who reported her credit card information had been compromised showing officers where one purchase went through while several others were declined. She was still in possession of the card itself. Bay Village Detectives are investigating.

Keep Your Distance

On November 26 at 11:47am, a driver contacted BVPD advising they were following a car from I-90W into Bay that was driving recklessly. BVPD located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Upon speaking to the driver of the alleged reckless vehicle, he advised BVPD the vehicle was tailgating and following him. No signs of impairment of the driver, and he was advised of his driving habits on the highway. Parties were sent on their way.

Annoying Cameraman

On November 26 at 2:00 pm, BVPD received several calls from businesses over a male filming and taking pictures. BVPD responded and located a male who was standing on the sidewalk with several recording devices. The male was in the area Bay Square and Dover Center filming. BVPD responded and spoke with the male at Bay Square and advised him of the complaint. Employees at the bank were advised nothing criminal was occurring and he can film in public. Shortly after USPS employees contacted BVPD over the same male. Both businesses were advised to ignore the male.

OVI

On November 27 at 2:00am, BVPD observed a traffic violation near Lake/Clague. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle. Upon speaking with the driver, it was suspected they were under the influence. The driver submitted to standardize field testing. Subsequently, the driver was placed under arrest for OVI. She was conveyed back to BVPD jail to be booked. The driver was given an opportunity to provide a breath test. The test yielding a BAC of .173%. The 31-year-old Avon resident was charged with, OVI, OVI BAC, operation without reasonable control, and marked lanes. She will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Traffic Complaint Leads to OVI

On November 27 at 2:54pm, BVPD received a traffic complaint for a possible intoxicated driver westbound on Lake Rd. BVPD located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on Parkside/Wolf. Upon speaking with the driver, it was suspected they were under the influence. The driver submitted to standardized field testing. Subsequently the driver was arrested for OVI. The male was conveyed back to BVPD jail to be booked. The driver submitted to a breath test, yielding in a BAC of .298%. The 49-year-old, Bay Village resident was charged with OVI and OVI BAC. He will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Traffic Warrants

On November 28 at 3:09 pm, BVPD observed a traffic violation near Wolf/ Elmwood. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle. The driver was discovered to have several traffic warrants but agencies would not pick up due to manpower. The vehicle was towed for fictitious plates. The female was giving a courtesy ride to an address in Westlake. The 27-year-old Cleveland resident will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Car Hits Plow Truck

On November 30 at 01:57 am, BVPD was dispatched to Maple Dr for motor vehicle accident. A Bay Village Service Department employee contacted BVPD advising his plow truck had been struck by a vehicle, the driver exited, and went into the home without exchanging information. BVPD responded and spoke with one of the homeowners, who advised the driver of the vehicle was inside and didn’t want to speak with police. After a short delay, the driver came and spoke to officers. It was suspected the driver was under the influence. The driver submitted to standardized field testing and subsequently arrested for OVI/Hit Skip. The male was conveyed back to BVPD to be booked. The male was given an option to provide a breath test. The test yielded a BAC of .161%. The 52-year-old Bay Village resident was charged with OVI, OVI BAC, driving under suspension, stopping after an accident, improper backing, and operation with obstructed view from load. The male will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Quiet, Please

On November 30 at 6:00 pm, BVPD responded to the Bay Village Library in connection to a disturbance. The complainant advised they had to let a cleaner go from their job, which caused a verbal argument. The caller believed the worker was still in the parking lot in a white car. BVPD responded and located the possible vehicle. Officers spoke with the occupant, who was not involved. The cleaner had left prior to police arrival.

Coyote in Christmas Lights

On December 1, 11:38 am, a resident in the area of Northfield/Longbeach Pkwy contacted BVPD to report a coyote was tangled in their Christmas lights. The caller was concerned for the safety of the children who get picked up/dropped off at this school bus stop. The coyote managed to free itself from the lights and no contact was made with any individual.

Close Call Scam

On December 4 at 3:19 pm, a resident on Midland contacted BVPD in connection with a possible fraud. The resident reported they received a text message for a charge from Apple. They contacted the number and the resident was instructed to download an application to their phone. This was an apparent scam and the resident was assisted. They were not out any money.

Facing Charges

On December 5 at 12:25 pm, Wadsworth PD contacted BVPD advising they were out with a female who has felony warrants with BVPD. The warrant was confirmed and arrangements were made to pick up the female. The female was conveyed and booked at BVPD jail. The arrestee was seen through video arraignment through Rocky River Municipal Court and given a cash bond. The female posted the bond and picked up by WLPD for active felony warrant. The 26-year-old Wadsworth resident will be facing charges through Cuyahoga County Common Pleas for Theft.