Brecksville Police Blotter: Theft of Rubber Mats Almost Leads to a Felony

The following incidents were reported by the on Aug. 30 through Sept. 4. The information was compiled by police reports.

Expired plate leads to drug charges
An officer stopped a car at 8:53 p.m. on Sept. 4 on Brecksville Road after noticing that the license plates were expired. The officer smelled marijuana when approaching the 21-year-old Cincinnati man’s car, and a later search turned up a jar of marijuana and a baggie of hashish. He also had a warrant from Lakewood for contempt of court, and that department said they would pick him up. The man was charged with possession of drugs and with having expired plates.

Stolen mats nearly lead to felony charges
An employee of the reported the theft of 20 rubber mats from the station’s parking lot on Aug. 30. The mats are used to protect the roof from ice that falls off the radio tower. The surveillance video showed four people, three of them skateboarding, in the area on Aug. 28. Later that same day, five individuals came to look at the mats and, shortly afterward, a few people came in a pick-up truck and were seen loading the mats into the back.

An officer spoke with nearby families, telling one of the parents that the responsible parties would be charged with a misdemeanor if the mats were returned in the same condition as when they were stolen. The total cost of the mats was more than $600, and it could be a felony. A man called shortly after, saying he knew who had the mats and that he would get him to return them.

A 21-year-old Broadview Heights man then called, saying he would return the mats he had and get the rest from his friend’s shed. He added that he thought it was OK to take them, because he was under the assumption they were being thrown out. The officer noted in the report that he was writing up a misdemeanor affidavits for the 21-year-old Broadview Heights man and a 21-year-old Brecksville man.

For questions about this blotter, email Rachel.Abbey@patch.com.