Thursday, August 28, 2014
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Police arrested a Niles man Tuesday morning in the robbery of a South Side Cashland cash advance store.
Lesean Edge, 28, of Royal Mall Drive in Niles, is in the Mahoning County jail on a charge of aggravated robbery after he was caught by officers in a parking lot behind a West Rayen Avenue car-rental business about 10 a.m.
Police were called to Cashland, 110 E. Midlothian Blvd., for a report of a robbery. While they were on their way, other reports said the car the robber was driving was on Interstate 680 heading for the Madison Avenue Expressway, then got off the expressway and was seen on West Rayen Avenue.
There was a GPS device in the money bags that helped police track the car.
Police went to the car-rental business on West Rayen and asked if employees saw anyone. Employees told them a vehicle just pulled into their side lot. Police checked the lot and found Edge getting out of the suspect vehicle.
Inside the vehicle, police found a large bag stuffed with cash and more cash inside the console. The amount of cash was significant, police said. Also found inside the car were two baseball bats and a 9mm handgun.
City Prosecutor Dana Lantz said during Edge’s arraignment in municipal court that Edge confessed the robbery after he was arrested and also confessed a recent robbery at an Austintown hotel.
He is in jail on $75,000 bond.