Police Blotter: Man Spits on Officer at Video Game Convention

Police Identify Laptop Thief Through Social Network

Police caught up with a laptop thief by following his social network postings April 27. The 17-year-old Cleveland boy tried to make off with a laptop during a Craigslist exchange at at 9 p.m. April 25. A 17-year-old Sheffield boy had put his $1,300 laptop up for sale on Craigslist and arranged to meet the buyer at Crocker Park. When they met, the would-be buyer drove off with the victim’s computer as he got out of the suspect’s car. Officers identified the suspect through his social network postings and arrested him at his home in Cleveland. Police recovered the laptop. The suspect was taken to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Home.

Witness Thought Stolen Trailer Was Being Repossessed

A dump trailer was stolen from a Clemens Road business at 4 p.m. April 22 right in front of a witness who mistakenly thought it was being repossessed. The witness saw the $5,200 2010 Appalachian-brand trailer being towed by a black 1-ton two truck with white or orange writing on the side. The witness said the truck was a late 1980s or early 1990s model, possibly a Chevrolet.

Man Spits on Officer at Video Game Conference at Holiday Inn

Police arrested two attendees at a video game conference at the at about 7:15 p.m. April 30. The two men, a 27-year-old Cleveland resident and a 21-year-old Canal Fulton man, got into an argument over how the younger man was playing a video game. The younger man punched the other in the mouth about an hour after the initial argument. Police arrested the man for assault. While arresting the Cleveland man, he spit on an officer. Both men were released later that day.

Suspect’s Brother Brings Police Back to Holiday Inn

Officers returned to the Holiday Inn at about 8 p.m. April 30 when an 18-year-old Lorain man started damaging hotel property. The suspect is the brother of the 27-year-old Cleveland man who spit on an officer at a video game conference earlier that night. The 18-year-old had left the hotel when police arrived, but they later arrested him in the parking lot of the Board of Education. He and a friend were waiting there while another 22-year-old man checked to see what happened to the 27-year-old Cleveland man. Officers arrested the 18-year-old for criminal damaging and underage consumption of alcohol. They also arrested the 18-year-old friend for underage consumption. Both were later released.

Traffic Altercation Gets Ugly

A 53-year-old Westlake man keyed another man’s car after a traffic altercation at about 4 p.m. April 28 in the parking lot of the Promenade. A 66-year-old Rocky River man returned to his van after the accident and found the suspect scratching his passenger’s side panel. The victim gave officers the suspect’s license plate number and identified him from his BMV photo. Police later interviewed the suspect at his home, where he denied damaging the van. He did, however, admit that he planned to let the air out of the van’s tires, but the victim came back before he could. Police expect the victim to sign complaints for criminal damaging charges against the suspect.

New Homeowner Finds Copper Pipe Missing

A Clauge Road homeowner reported a copper pipe missing from the basement at 5:30 p.m. April 29. Officers found that the house was entered by forcing open the back door.

Burglar Makes Off With Safe

Police are investigating the theft of $900 and a small safe from at about 10 p.m. April 24. The glass in one of the western doors of the building was broken out and the burglar set off an alarm.

Copper Stolen From Construction Site

Four reels of copper wire worth $800 was found missing from a Crocker Park Boulevard construction site at 7:30 a.m. April 25. The wire was taken some time between 4 p.m. April 22 and 7:30 a.m. April 25. Police have no suspects.