Theft probe leads to recovery of $100,000 worth of property

staff report

GIRARD — Police said more than $100,000 worth of stolen property, including two pieces of heavy equipment, lawn tractors, tools and all-terrain vehicles, has been recovered, the result of an investigation that began last fall.

A joint operation was conducted Jan. 21 at two locations, one at a Leavittsburg auction site and another by Ohio State Highway Patrol in southern Ohio. Police said they recovered a Kubota tractor in southern Ohio and John Deere backhoe at Leavittsburg. Both pieces of equipment had been stolen in October from Girard’s cemetery garage.

On Monday, search warrants were served on Hazelwood Avenue in Youngstown and a storage facility in Hubbard Township. Lawn tractors, tools and ATVs were recovered.

“It was a group effort,” said Chief Jeff Palmer of the investigation. He credited Capt. Frank Bigowsky and Detective Greg Manente with reaching out to other jurisdictions to solve the theft.

Leads were developed in late November indicating those involved in the theft may have committed crimes in other jurisdictions. A multijurisdictional approach was initiated with investigators from Trumbull and Mahoning counties, OSHP and detectives from Girard, Niles, Hubbard Township, Beaver Township, Boardman, Mahoning County sheriff’s office and Mahoning Valley Task Force.