Theft/Shoplifting Incidents
March 30 – Walmart Shoplifting Results in Arrest After Suspect Flees to Nearby Restaurant
On March 30, an officer on routine patrol at Walmart was approached by a female employee who reported a shoplifting incident. The suspect, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with a distinctive mole and mark over his eye, had attempted to leave with merchandise but fled when confronted by security. Officers located Tyrez Lardell at Applebee’s matching the description, though he initially denied being at Walmart.
Store security reported Lardell had attempted to leave with an air mattress, pillows, and sheets valued at $175.85 without paying. When asked for a receipt, he abandoned the cart and fled. After initially providing an incorrect birth date when questioned, Lardell was identified, handcuffed, and positively identified by Walmart security. During the arrest process, he spit on the floor of Applebee’s. Lardell was transported to Macedonia Police Department Jail, booked for theft (M1), and given a court date through Macedonia Mayor’s Court.
March 25 – Woman Arrested for Skip-Scanning Items at Walmart
Walmart Loss Prevention had Jacqueline Crawford in custody after observing her skip scanning multiple items totaling $86.00 in merchandise. Crawford was observed failing to scan items, placing them in bags, and proceeding past all points of sale without paying. After being read her Miranda rights, Crawford was transported to Macedonia Jail for booking and charged with theft (M1) through Macedonia Mayor’s Court. Walmart provided video evidence of the theft which was logged into evidence.
March 25 – Popeyes Chicken Reports Missing Cash from Store Safe
District manager Clifford Barnett reported $303.50 missing from the Popeyes Chicken store safe. Employees noticed the safe was not balancing properly, prompting the district manager to investigate. Barnett suspects either theft or accounting errors due to improper nightly counting procedures. Management planned to review camera footage to determine whether a theft occurred or if the discrepancy resulted from procedural errors.
March 25 – Porch Pirate Swipes Package in Broad Daylight
A resident on Buckston Court reported an Amazon filing cabinet valued at $199.00 stolen from her porch around 3:15 PM. Ring camera footage captured an unidentified male with blonde hair, glasses, and an army green hoodie with a circular white logo taking the package. The suspect made a comment about the package being “nice” before taking it and walking away on foot. The victim was advised to report the theft to Amazon with her police report number and camera footage.
Fraud Incidents
March 28 – Fake Customer Service Representative Drains Venmo Account
A resident reported that her nephew was victim of a phone scam resulting in the theft of $1,245.00 from his Venmo account. When seeking help with account issues, they searched online for a Venmo customer service number and were connected with someone claiming to be a representative. After being redirected to a “manager,” the scammer gained remote access to their computer through screen sharing and transferred funds before disconnecting. The victim was referred to the FBI’s fraud/scam webpage and advised to monitor his credit report.
March 26 – Resident Loses Over $7,000 in Fake Mortgage Payment Scam
A Macedonia resident reported being scammed out of $7,354.29 by someone claiming to be a lawyer for Select Portfolio Servicing. The scammer, identifying himself as Kenneth Williams, convinced the victim she needed to make payments through Walmart barcodes to avoid home foreclosure. Five separate payments were made between January and February, ranging from $900 to $2,000 each. The phone numbers provided by the scammer were traced to a telephone provider in Chicago and an inactive number.
March 26 – Text Message Impersonator Tries to Lure Business Employees to Malls
A business owner at Ohio State Home Services reported that someone was impersonating him via text messages to multiple employees. The impersonator texted staff claiming to be planning “a surprise for outstanding staff members” and attempting to get them to run “tasks” at nearby stores or malls. One employee became suspicious when asked to go to a mall immediately and challenged the texter with a question the real boss would know. The phone number was traced to Columbus, OH, but attempts to contact the registered owner were unsuccessful.
Animal Complaints
March 27 – Resident Cited After Dogs Repeatedly Wander onto Neighbor’s Property
A resident on Florence Drive reported her neighbor’s two large dogs were not being properly contained. The complainant provided video evidence dated March 27 showing a large black dog on her front porch. This was described as an ongoing issue between the neighbors, and the complainant stated both she and her husband had spoken directly to the dog owner about their concerns. After a previous verbal warning to the dog owner in February, the dog owner was cited for violating city ordinance 505.01 (Dogs, cats and other animals running at large) through Macedonia Mayor’s Court.
