Youngstown cops pull over van used in burglaries

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police arrested four people Thursday afternoon after pulling over a van suspected in taking part in at least two aggravated burglaries earlier this week.

Arrested on charges of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property were Derrecka Clinkscale, 29; Arthur Finley, 31; Eugene Bowens, 27; and Gaynell Grabe, 24, all of Youngstown.

The four were in a van that was spotted at Indianola Avenue and Market Street about 3:45 p.m. by Patrolmen Mohammed Awad and Kenneth Garling while they were on patrol, reports state.

The van matched the description of a van that was used in at least two aggravated burglaries on the South Side on Wednesday afternoon, one in the 1600 block of Shawnee Trail and the other in the first block of Willis Avenue.

Reports from those burglaries also stated that the van had two men and two women inside. Awad and Garling then radioed for backup after pulling the van over at Midlothian Boulevard and Helena Avenue before taking the four out of the van one by one.

Inside the van police found a large-screen television, a laptop computer, a video-game system, a .357-caliber revolver and a .44-caliber revolver that had a scope and six rounds of ready-to-use ammunition, commonly known as speed loaders.

The four were taken to the police station but are not yet charged with any burglaries until detectives can speak to them, reports said.