Vigilant off-duty Warren police officer alerts department to suspicious activity

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — An off-duty Warren police officer noticed something while driving his car on Griswold Street Northeast on Monday afternoon that led to a felony charge against a South Street man.

Patrolman Richard Kovach spotted a man with a duffle bag in his hand leaving a vacant business on Griswold Street at about 3:30 p.m. and watched as the man got into a vehicle, police said.

Kovach followed the vehicle and contacted the police department, which made a traffic stop on East Market Street on the man, Oneal Brown III, 39, of 918 South St.

Officers found copper wiring inside the duffle bag that they believe came from the vacant business, said Sgt. Jeff Cole of the Warren Police Department.

Brown pleaded innocent Tuesday in Warren Municipal Court to a felony charge of receiving stolen property. He returns to court Feb. 18. If convicted, Brown could spend a year in prison.