Retail Theft
Five Women Arrested After Macedonia Kohl’s Theft
Mushrooms, Marijuana Found During Arrest
Five women were arrested June 3 following a theft at the Macedonia Commons Kohl’s Department Store. Three suspects fled on foot into nearby woods when police arrived, leading to a foot chase.
Nayira Ariyan Amey, Delilah Franchesca Swift, and Damiyah Connie La-shai Swift were arrested at the scene. Two additional suspects, Jayranae Garshay Durham and Jayla Ann Nicole Cromity, were later identified but not apprehended during the initial response.
During the arrest, officers discovered 4.9 grams of mushrooms and 0.5 grams of marijuana. The suspects’ vehicle was towed for evidence processing. Kohl’s reported merchandise valued at $8,469.63 was stolen, though not all items were recovered.
All three arrested suspects face charges including theft, receiving stolen property and obstructing official business. The investigation revealed some stolen merchandise may have originated from other Kohl’s locations.
Second Kohl’s Theft Same Day Nets Three More Arrests
$2,412 in Merchandise Recovered
Hours after the first incident, three more women were arrested at the same Macedonia Kohl’s location June 3. Officers were conducting a follow-up investigation when loss prevention reported another theft in progress.
Jadah Le Shae Harrison, Mikeisha Lynette Evans and Terri Louise-Nicole Ray were arrested without incident after attempting to leave with stolen merchandise. All stolen items, valued at $2,412, were recovered and returned to the store.
Harrison faces additional charges for possessing criminal tools after concealing stolen items in a purse. All three suspects were charged through Stow Municipal Court.
Walmart Shoplifting Incidents Continue
Adult, Juvenile Charged in Skip-Scanning Scheme
Breonna Laniyha Wilson and a juvenile were arrested June 5 at Macedonia Walmart for skip-scanning merchandise at self-checkout. The pair attempted to leave with $25.24 worth of unpaid items after being stopped by loss prevention.
Wilson was charged with theft through Macedonia Mayor’s Court, while the juvenile faces charges through Summit County Juvenile Court.
Spark Shopper Arrested for Theft
A delivery driver working for Walmart’s Spark service was arrested June 6 for theft. Laurie Helen Pietro was caught by loss prevention adding items not part of her delivery order to her cart, with total theft valued at $72.40.
Pietro was charged with theft and given a June 12 court date.
Traffic Enforcement
Woman Arrested for OVI After Bridal Shower
Driver Refused Breath Test, Failed Field Sobriety Tests
Channon Nicole Lee Allen was arrested June 7 for operating a vehicle under the influence after being reported for erratic driving. A caller reported seeing Allen driving on the wrong side of the road and drinking while driving.
Officers located Allen’s vehicle in a residential driveway on Valley View Road. She exhibited signs of impairment including slurred speech and poor balance during field sobriety tests. An open container with the odor of alcohol was found in her vehicle.
Allen refused both breath and urine tests and was charged with OVI, open container and driving left of center.
Tesla Driver Arrested for Second OVI
Man Had Prior Conviction, Refused Breath Test
Shawn Jared Maughan was arrested June 10 for OVI while driving with a suspended license due to a previous OVI conviction. Officers received reports of erratic driving and located Maughan charging his Tesla at Macedonia Commons.
Officers found open and sealed beer cans in the vehicle along with marijuana. Maughan refused breath testing and was charged with multiple offenses including OVI with refusal and driving under suspension.
Crash Driver Tests Nearly Twice Legal Limit
Man Arrested After Route 8 Accident
Dion Elijah Harden was arrested June 12 following a traffic accident at the intersection of State Routes 8 and 82. Initial reports suggested the driver may be intoxicated.
Harden admitted to drinking three beers and a shot at Blue Willow Lounge before driving. He failed all field sobriety tests and registered a 0.192% blood alcohol content, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08%.
He was charged with OVI, high-test OVI for exceeding 0.17%, and assured clear distance.
Other Incidents
Domestic Dispute Leads to Warrant Arrest
Victim Had Outstanding Warrant
Police responded June 4 to a domestic dispute on Preserve Lane where a woman reported her ex-boyfriend threatened to slap her. While investigating, officers discovered the victim had an active arrest warrant through Geauga County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim was arrested on the warrant and turned over to Geauga County authorities. The ex-boyfriend was contacted and warned not to return to the property.
Soliciting Violation Resolved
Out-of-State Company Agrees to Follow Permit Rules
Police cited soliciting violations June 12 after receiving complaints about persistent door-to-door sales tactics. Mira Home employees were found to be improperly soliciting without following city permit requirements.
The company supervisor agreed to comply with all permit rules and update their application to include all employees after meeting with police.
Police Assist with Drug Investigation
Woman Claims Fentanyl Ingestion During Arrest
Macedonia officers assisted Northfield Village Police June 13 with a warrant arrest at MGM that became complicated when the suspect claimed to have ingested fentanyl. The woman was transported to the hospital as a precaution.
During the investigation, a K-9 unit indicated drugs in the suspect’s vehicle, leading to the discovery of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Vehicle Vandalized in Walmart Parking Lot
Nail Polish Used to Deface Car
A vehicle was vandalized overnight June 12-13 in the Macedonia Walmart parking lot. The owner discovered a dent and nail polish smeared on the side and rear bumper of the vehicle that had been left overnight.
Store surveillance cameras did not capture the vandalism due to limited coverage of the parking area where the vehicle was parked.
Fraud & Identity Theft
Macedonia Resident Loses $28,500 in Tech Support Scam
Victim Tricked Into Bitcoin Transactions
A 67-year-old Macedonia man lost $28,500 after falling victim to an elaborate tech support scam. The victim received an email claiming child pornography was found on his computer and was instructed to call a fake Microsoft number.
The scammer, identifying himself as “Dean Morgan,” connected the victim with a fake Huntington Bank fraud specialist named “Nancy.” The fraudsters convinced him to withdraw $28,500 in cash and deposit it at Bitcoin kiosks in Brecksville and Bedford to “reverse” a fraudulent transaction.
The victim was instructed not to discuss the matter with bank employees and was given remote access to his computer through a downloaded app. Police are investigating the incident.
$10,000 Gift Card Scam Targets Best Buy Customer
Fraudulent Roku Support Number Given at Store
A man lost $10,000 after receiving a fraudulent Roku support number from Best Buy employees. The victim went to the Macedonia Best Buy June 13 seeking warranty repair for his TV when employees provided a fake support number.
The caller, identifying himself as “Robin Roku,” convinced the victim his account was hacked and required him to purchase $10,000 worth of gift cards from Home Depot and Lowes to verify his identity. The scammer used remote access software to manipulate the victim’s phone and delete evidence.
Police are following up with Best Buy regarding how the fraudulent number was provided to the customer.
Elderly Man’s Identity Used in Pittsburgh Bank Fraud
Forged Driver’s License Detected by Key Bank
A Macedonia resident reported June 16 that someone attempted to use his identity to access his Key Bank account in Pittsburgh. The fraud attempt was blocked when bank staff detected a forged driver’s license during the transaction.
The bank notified the customer of the attempted fraud and requested a police report be filed. The incident occurred June 12.
Property Recovery
Gun Found in Hotel Room Goes to Evidence
Weapon Left Behind at Knights Inn
A .380 caliber pistol was discovered June 16 during routine cleaning at the Knights Inn on East Highland Road. Hotel staff found the Tanfoglio pistol wrapped in a towel inside a dresser drawer after a guest checked out.
The weapon was not reported stolen and has been logged into evidence as found property. No charges have been filed.
Stolen Kia Recovered in Cleveland
Vehicle Taken from Driveway, Found Through GPS Tracking
A 2023 Kia K5 was stolen June 17 from a Crow Drive driveway and recovered the same day in Cleveland. The owner’s daughter discovered the vehicle missing around 8:42 a.m. after leaving keys in the car overnight.
FLOCK cameras tracked the vehicle traveling north, with the last ping on Fulton Road in Cleveland. Kia’s stolen vehicle division used GPS tracking to locate the car on Seymour Avenue, where Macedonia detectives recovered it.
Black latex gloves and a fingernail found in the vehicle were sent to the state crime lab for DNA analysis. The vehicle sustained front bumper damage during the theft.
Retail Theft Continues
Ulta Beauty Theft Resolved Without Charges
Eye Cream Sample Returned After Police Contact
A Macedonia woman took a $67 Tatcha eye cream sample from Ulta Beauty June 24 but avoided charges after returning the product. Store employees observed the woman taking the tester sample and leaving without paying.
Police contacted the suspect at her home, and she voluntarily returned the product. The store manager declined to press charges, asking only that the item be returned and the suspect be informed that samples are not for take-home use.
Walmart Theft Suspect Hides Behind Dumpster
Sports Cards Stolen, Suspect Claims Drug Use
Anthony Matthew Cesaratto was arrested June 26 after stealing $419.72 worth of sports cards from Macedonia Walmart and hiding behind a Taco Bell dumpster. Loss prevention witnessed the theft, prompting the suspect to flee.
Cesaratto was found with eight boxes of football and basketball cards in a blue bag. During arrest, he claimed to have consumed fentanyl and was transported to Cleveland Clinic Twinsburg for medical evaluation.
He was charged with theft and possessing criminal tools through Macedonia Mayor’s Court.
Traffic Enforcement Continues
Woman Arrested for Resisting During Traffic Stop
Suspended License Stop Escalates on Interstate
Tamia Monet Wright was arrested June 25 on Interstate 271 after a routine traffic stop for driving with a suspended license escalated into a physical confrontation. Wright was stopped for having non-working tail lights and driving under suspension.
When officers attempted to tow her vehicle, Wright refused to exit and locked the doors. Officers had to physically remove her from the vehicle after she resisted multiple commands. Wright continued to resist while being handcuffed.
She was charged with obstructing official business, resisting arrest, driving under suspension, seat belt violation and defective tail lights.
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