Maple Heights -- Two residents managed to trap a man in their car before he could steal the stereo amplifier inside, police said.
The 39-year-old Maple Heights man has been charged with criminal damaging, criminal trespassing and possession of criminal tools.
According to Maple Heights Police Detective Gerald Prusha, a Stanley Avenue resident called police April 28 around 11:20 a.m. and said he and his cousin had trapped a man in his conversion van.
Prusha said the resident looked outside, saw the man in the van, and called for his cousin, who had just walked up the street.
The caller told police he and his cousin were keeping the van doors from being opened, trapping the suspect inside, until police arrived.
Criminal damaging
April 25. Car keyed: A Cleveland woman told police her car was keyed around 1:45 p.m. while she was inside a Northfield Road day care center were she worked. There were no witnesses, nor did the woman list a damage estimate.
Counterfeiting
April 25. Man tried to pay for fast food with homemade bill: An employee of a Northfield Road restaurant told police a man tried to pay for his burger with a bogus $5 bill.
The employee said he checked the bill with a special pen, which marks the bill, and if the bill is good, the mark disappears.
According to police, some restaurant workers check certain bills as standard practice.
The employee said the bill was fake. After learning he paid with a bad bill, the customer gave the employee a good $5 bill and left. The bill was taken into evidence by police. The employee was advised to call police if the man returns.
Theft
April 25. Portable hoop and rim fouled out: A Ramage Avenue woman told police a portable basketball hoop, and rim, worth $150, was taken from her backyard.
Theft from auto
April 23. Radio taken: A Thomas Street man told police someone broke into a locked car which was parked in his driveway. He said a combination radio and DVD player along with two speakers were taken. He said the items were worth $2,500. Police found no damage to the car.
May 1. Pain medicine missing: A South Boulevard man told police someone entered his unlocked car and took 20 Vicodin tablets, which were on his front seat, and the face plate from his car stereo. There was no estimate given for the loss.
Shoplifting
April 27. Margarita mix taken: A 58-year-old Cleveland woman was charged with shoplifting after an employee said he saw her trying to leave the store with a $10 bottle of margarita mix. The security guard stopped the woman, who was held until police arrived.
Found property
April 23. Man "en-gauged" in work finds surprise: A Lee Road apartment manager told police he was cleaning out a bedroom closet after a tenant moved out and found an empty 12-gauge shotgun. He did not report finding any shells. Police could find no serial numbers on the gun and took it into evidence to be destroyed.
April 28. Strange findings: A South Boulevard woman told police she found a shoe and a bottle of urine in her yard around 12:20 p.m. The woman showed the items to police and then she tossed the items in the trash. Neither item belonged to the woman.
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Assault
April 27. Woman says man pushed her into wall: A Northfield Road woman reported that her boyfriend had just assaulted her and left on foot toward Columbus Road.
The woman said the man threatened to shoot her, then pushed her head into a brick wall. The woman had minor injuries and was not hospitalized Police located the man on Northfield Road. The woman told police that the man had left with a gun on him, but police found no gun. The man was taken into custody and charged with domestic violence.
Police arrested the man and charged him with theft.
Editor's note: Police News is a sampling of incidents responded to by local law enforcement agencies.