LEETONIA Stones found, arrests made

Eight of 12 stones have been recovered.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LEETONIA -- Three area residents have been charged in the removal of landscaping stones from a Butcher Road property.
Salem Township Constable Dan Valentine said Jason W. Heffner, 24, of Lisbon-Canfield Road, Salem Township, is charged with receiving stolen property. Jonathon J. Stewart, 20, of Columbia Street, Leetonia, and Krystal A. Senior, 19, of Cherry Fork Avenue, Leetonia, are charged with theft.
Valentine said the stones were found and arrests were made Tuesday. During his investigation, Valentine also found that Nichole L. Wagnoner-Heffner, 20, Heffner's wife, was wanted by the Columbiana County Sheriff's Department on charges of passing bad checks.
Valentine said he received several good tips about the missing stones after The Vindicator and other area newspapers wrote about the theft.
Eight of the stones were sold to a local greenhouse and have been returned.
The investigation continues as four of the stones are still missing.
Valentine said the stones were from the sandstone foundation of an old barn owned by the homeowners' grandfather and father, now both deceased.
The homeowner placed the stones to form a wall in the front yard, he said. The stones were cut to fit together to form the wall.
He said the stones are distinctive and can be identified by the homeowner.
Premeditated
The theft was well-planned and took place overnight June 30 with the homeowners at home, Valentine said.
Valentine said Stewart and Senior have told of their involvement, and although Heffner has not made any confession, there is enough evidence to charge him.
The group loaded the stones into the back of a pickup truck, which Senior drove, Valentine said.
He said the stones vary in size between 18 and 30 inches long and 8 inches tall. They weigh between 70 and 120 pounds each.
He said the greenhouse owner compared the stones he purchased to the ones remaining on the Butcher Road property. He did not think he had the stolen stones because the stones he had purchased were much smaller.
Valentine said the three large stones remaining on the property were not taken because they were too large to move.