Accused tablet thief caught by cops in sting

YOUNGSTOWN — Police said a West Side couple arranged a meeting Thursday with a man accused of stealing their electronic tablet, where he was arrested.

John Zucco, 34, of Manhattan Avenue, is in the Mahoning County jail on a charge of receiving stolen property and a larceny warrant from Boardman police. He is expected to be arraigned in municipal court today.

Reports said police were called to a home in the 1700 block of Manhattan Avenue, where the couple told them Zucco knocked on their door about 1:15 p.m. and told them two men were in their back yard and they appeared to be staking out their house to break into it.

Reports said the husband went outside to look while Zucco stayed inside. The man found no one In the back yard but the couple then discovered their tablet was missing after Zucco left.

Reports said the wife went on Facebook and saw the tablet advertised for sale on a local buy and trade website posted by Zucco. The wife then had a friend contact Zucco online and arrange to meet at the Mahoning Plaza, where she would buy the tablet for $60, reports said.

The couple called police instead, who went to the meeting at 4 p.m. and found Zucco at the plaza carrying a tablet.

Zucco was taken into custody on the warrant from Boardman following the records check. Reports said the serial number on the tablet Zucco was carrying matched the serial number of the tablet that was stolen.