Police say pizza owner lied about armed McDonald robbery

Staff report

MCDONALD

McDonald police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are calling the purported Thursday-morning robbery of Ianazone’s Pizza, 207 E. Marshall Road, a hoax.

The owner, Jim Ianazone, reported that he had just been robbed at 7:20 a.m. by two males at gunpoint and that they had taken $32,000 and fled in a white Chevy Cruze.

“Through the investigation, it was learned that no robbery occurred,” according to a McDonald police press release. “Mr. Ianazone reported to authorities that he staged the robbery due to him being extorted for money.”

Ianazone also told investigators he paid an undisclosed amount of money to the two males that he had previously accused of robbing him. He was unable to provide much information on the extortionists, nor have investigators found any credible evidence related to any extortion, the press release said.

Police are talking to prosecutors regarding possible charges for filing a false police report.