Police investigate three break ins

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police are investigating three break-ins over the Thanksgiving holiday.

About 12:20 a.m., officers responded to an alarm at a 669 Gypsy Lane cellphone store. When officers arrived, they reviewed security camera footage that showed a person ride up to the store on a bicycle and then ram and kick the door several times before riding off.

While police were there, officers in Liberty caught a 14-year-old at Fifth and Mansell avenues who resembled the description of the person on the security footage. Reports said the teen told city and Liberty police that he was kicked out of his house after a fight, so he took a bicycle from a neighbor’s home, drove to Walmart and stole several electronic items then tried to get inside to the Gypsy Lane cellphone store so he could have a warm place to stay for the night.

Police could not take the teen to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center because reports said the JJC would not accept him. Instead, he was returned to his home, reports said.

Officers were called about 3:45 p.m. Thursday to a building in the 200 block of Steel Street, where a man said he saw someone in front of his building who ran away.

On the sidewalk, police found a crossbow. Missing from inside were four 0.12-gauge shotguns, a 20-gauge shotgun, a .22-caliber rifle, .50-caliber rifle, a .30/06 rifle, a 32-caliber revolver and three video-game systems.

Reports said it appeared there was no forced entry, but the mail slot is large enough to allow someone to slip their hand inside and unlock the door.

Just after 10 a.m. Thursday police were called to a 775 N. Garland Ave. store, where the owner said he discovered a break-in when he came to work.

Reports said a window in a back door was shattered, and police found a box of candy and several hooded sweatshirts from the store on the ground outside. Also missing was the video surveillance system and cigarettes and cigars, reports said.