Boardman man holds car theft suspect at gunpoint until cops arrive

BOARDMAN

When Kenneth Veneroso, 49, got up to use the bathroom shortly after 1:30 a.m. Thursday, he took a look at the security cameras he has installed at his Devonshire Drive condominium.

“I have motion lights, and they clicked on,” he said.

Veneroso didn’t bother to get dressed.

“I was in my underwear,” he recalled.

When he went outside, he saw two people ransacking his neighbor’s vehicle. Although Veneroso didn’t have his cellphone on him, he had his gun. So, he grabbed it and told the suspects to lie on the ground.

He yelled for help, and his fiancee called 911, according to his account and a police report. In the meantime, one of the suspects ran away, but Veneroso held the other suspect at gunpoint until township police officers arrived.

At the scene, police arrested Jose Castro Jr., 17, of Cleveland Street, Youngstown, on charges of theft, criminal trespass, criminal tools and obstructing official business. They also cited him for a curfew violation.

According to a police report, officers also checked the area and found several other vehicles on Devonshire, located off Glenwood Avenue, had been ransacked.

Castro’s case will be handled in Mahoning County juvenile court.

Police said Thursday they are following up on leads they have on the other suspect.

The incident marked the second time this week someone in the township decided to intervene when they saw a crime occurring.

Read more about the matter in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.