MAHONING COUNTY Police arrest suspect in numerous break-ins

Stamp will face charges in five jurisdictions.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A house burglar who made his way from home to home across the area over the past several months is off the streets, behind bars and waiting to face charges in five jurisdictions, police say.
The Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force has arrested Edward Duane Stamp, 41, of state Route 322, Williamsfield in 18 home break-ins in Boardman Township, Canfield, Poland Township, Poland Village and Struthers. Police have been investigating the burglaries for five months.
Canfield Detective Mark Meshula said Stamp was arrested Nov. 30 in Canfield after a stop on a minor traffic violation. He said officers found a starter pistol, which shoots only blanks, and a large knife in the car Stamp was driving. Stamp is serving a 90-day jail sentence for charges relating to the stop, but not the burglaries.
According to Meshula, officers also found in the car smaller items, such as watches and other jewelry, that are believed to be stolen. Police believe more expensive items taken from the homes have been sold.
There is no estimated dollar value of the items taken.
Cooperating
Since the Nov. 30 arrest, police say Stamp has been cooperating with the investigation. They say he has confessed two burglaries in Boardman, two in Canfield, three in Poland Township, two in Poland Village and nine in Struthers.
Stamp will be arraigned Monday in Struthers court in the burglaries in Poland Township, where Police Chief Carl Massullo said Stamp is a suspect in several other burglaries.
Struthers Detective Jeff Pantall said the burglar would usually break into homes between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. He would make sure no one was home by either casing the house or knocking on the door.
"If there is an honor among thieves, that was his. He definitely didn't want to encounter anybody," Pantall said.
He added that Stamp is familiar with the area, having been reared in Struthers.
He used most of the money from the stolen goods to buy drugs, police said. Sgt. Bob Magnuson, task force commander, said with the increase in theft around the holidays, it is good to have Stamp in police custody.
"To have him off the streets now is a big plus because he was not going to stop on his own," he said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com