Cops catch two on roof of East Side school

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police arrested two men on breaking-and-entering charges after they were found on the roof of an East Side school building.

An officer on patrol in the 2800 block of Oak Street Extension about 6:40 a.m. Thursday was flagged down by a resident and told there was a man on the roof of the Mary Haddow school building.

The officer stopped at the school and could see a man on the roof who then tried to hide from him, reports said. The officer then called for backup and for the fire department to come with a ladder. Reports said the officer also shouted that whoever was on the roof should come down because a police dog also was on the way along with a firetruck.

After about five minutes, two men told the officer they would come down, and when they did, they were arrested, reports said. The men were identified as Howard G. Ahart, 51, and Daniel Robert Moerch Jr., 31, both of Youngstown.

They each were arrested on charges of breaking and entering, possession of criminal tools and vandalism and were taken to the Mahoning County jail.

Reports said there were 14 total air-conditioning units on the roof and 12 of them had been vandalized the day before and two early Thursday. Reports said the copper wiring on the units was taken, and also the insulation on the units was tampered with.

Police found gloves, a pair of wire cutters and a phone on the men, reports said.