Credit-card theft probe

Credit-card theft probe
STRUTHERS -- Police are investigating theft of a credit card that was used to buy gas in Austintown and at merchants in Streetsboro and Ravenna.
A Struthers woman told police her husband discovered his MBNA MasterCard missing Monday after receiving a statement that revealed charges the owner did not make. The woman told police a lab technician had visited her home Nov. 25 to collect a specimen and that her husband had briefly left the technician alone while his wallet was in view on top of the refrigerator.
She said the technician had mentioned that she lives in the Ravenna/Streetsboro area and was en route to a client's house in Canfield. A electronic search revealed the suspect lives in Diamond, Portage County.
Multiple charges
BOARDMAN -- Township Trustee Kathy Miller's son Tyler M. Miller, 18, of Creston Drive was stopped by police on Roche Way just after 1 a.m. Friday and charged with an improper lane change, speeding, not wearing a seat belt, drug paraphernalia, underage possession of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol. He was also given a minor misdemeanor citation for a small amount of marijuana found in the car.
Alterra plans 2 events
AUSTINTOWN -- Alterra Clare Bridge Cottage of Austintown will be hosting two events soon. At 5 p.m. Thursday, the facility will host a career night. Speakers at the event will discuss different career options, while interviewers will be available to answer questions. At 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 12, the facility will host free seminars for nursing and social service professionals. The topic will be "Sharing a ministry of presence, helping families cope with the loss of a loved one." Refreshments and lunch will be provided at the seminars. Seating is limited, and reservations for the seminars must be made by Friday. For more information, call (330) 270-1448.
Center's name updated
YOUNGSTOWN -- The name of a Youngstown State University center has been changed to reflect the regional nature of its work. The Center for Urban Studies is now the Center for Urban and Regional Studies. The center's director, Hunter Morrison, told university officials the center has served the Mahoning Valley region as a whole, and its mission has not been limited to providing assistance to only urban centers such as Youngstown and Warren.
Vice cops arrest 2
YOUNGSTOWN -- Vice cops' crackdown on corner sex sales resulted in two arrests late Tuesday on the South Side. Officers said they saw Guy F. Walker, 37, of Baylor Avenue, Austintown driving past Belinda Kennedy several times. When Kennedy, 33, of West LaClede Avenue got into Walker's truck, police pulled it over on Oakhill Avenue. Both were charged with loitering to engage in solicitation.
Investigating report
LOWELLVILLE -- Village police are investigating a 76-year-old man being sprayed in the face with Mace. According to police reports, the Queisner Avenue man was attempting to turn at First and Water streets about 1:50 p.m. Monday when another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction drove through a stop sign.
The victim told police he stopped to let the other car pass and as it did, the driver sprayed him. The windows of both vehicles were down. He described the vehicle involved as a dark green Chevrolet Cavalier.
Charged in forgery
AUSTINTOWN -- Police arrested Laura A. Sinkus, 32, of Palmer Avenue, Youngstown, on Tuesday night at Rulli Bros. Market on Kirk Road, after she tried to use a forged check for $231. She is charged with two counts of forgery and possession of drug paraphernalia after police discovered in her purse a second check reported stolen by a South Avenue woman, along with two suspected crack pipes.
Police also arrested two people who accompanied Sinkus: Randall P. Vecchio, 37, of Katherine Street in Struthers, on a theft warrant from Youngstown police, and carrying a concealed weapon after police discovered a long knife in the van he was driving; and Daniel G. Morris, 36, of Lennox Avenue, Youngstown, on a Youngstown warrant for failure to appear on a traffic charge.