Jesus statue is stolen

Jesus statue is stolen
LIBERTY -- Township police are searching for Jesus.
A life-size statue of the Savior was reported stolen from the Sacred Heart Retreat Center on Loganway.
Valued at $3,000, the statue was taken overnight Friday, reports said.
Facing theft charge
LIBERTY -- A man who apparently was trying to help police instead landed himself in jail.
Robert W. Stanko, no age or address given, was arrested Sunday morning on a warrant charging him with theft after a Northview Avenue woman reported to police he followed her home.
The 24-year-old woman said she was driving home from a store in the Liberty Plaza when she noticed a blue Blazer following her. When she stopped to let the Blazer pass, the man stopped, told her he was a security guard from the store and demanded to see her receipt.
A female passenger in the Blazer also identified herself as a security guard and asked for the receipt.
The Northview Avenue woman drove home, where the couple again asked to see her receipt and said they were leaving to get the police.
When police arrived at Liberty Plaza to investigate, they found the Blazer and discovered there was a warrant for Stanko's arrest. Store employees told police Stanko is not a security guard but twice that morning identified customers in the store he said were shoplifting.
Stanko was transferred to Mahoning County authorities. His female passenger was not charged.
Toys giveaway planned
BROOKFIELD -- Trunick Gallery is accepting creative toys through Dec. 15 for its Toys for Creativity giveaway.
The gallery gives such items as markers, finger paints, Play-Doh and musical toys to needy children in the area through the Salvation Army.
Each person donating a gift valued at $5 or more will receive a stoneware ornament hand made by Gail Trunick.
The gallery is on the square in Brookfield and is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
Two-car accident killsdriver from Fowler
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 68-year-old Fowler man was killed Sunday afternoon in a two-car crash on state Route 616, police said.
His name was being withheld pending notification of family.
The victim, driving north on the icy pavement, lost control of his Ford Explorer, which turned sideways near Coitsville Road into the path of an oncoming car, said Lt. Mark Milstead.
The Explorer veered off the road and rolled over. The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown out.
The other driver, a 50-year-old Hubbard man, had minor injuries, Milstead said.
Police probe arson case
LIBERTY -- Police are investigating arson that damaged an ATV and several other items.
Officers were called to 4515 Park St. to investigate a trash fire, but found the vehicle on fire.
The resident told police someone broke into the trailer where the vehicle and other items were stored in an attempt to steal the ATV. Other items in the trailer were also damaged.
Woman reports scam
LIBERTY -- A Brookfield woman told police she was scammed by two women for $7,000 while shopping.
The woman said she was in a store around 1 p.m. Wednesday when she was approached by a black woman who called herself Rebecca and said another woman had found a large sum of money in the parking lot.
According to reports, while the two women spoke, another black woman approached them, identified herself as Brenda Atkins and said she worked at Sky Bank.
The Atkins woman said she had found the money and was willing to split it with the other two.
The Brookfield woman told police she was instructed to withdraw $7,000 from her account at Bank One to prove she had money and meet the other women at a nearby hotel.
She gave the money to the Atkins woman, who said she would go into the hotel to meet a colleague who could turn the "found money" into smaller bills.
Neither suspect returned.
Police are investigating a similar report given by an elderly woman in October.