Seven men and a woman face 54 criminal charges in connection with a string of self-storage unit burglaries in Ohio. The three-month investigation involved multiple storage properties in Dover, New Philadelphia and Strasburg as well as unincorporated areas of Tuscarawas County, according to the source.
Authorities began their investigation after thieves cut through a fence at Dover Self Storage Center at 425 W. 3rd St. in Dover and burglarized 20 units and a couple of RVs, according to Dover Det. Jason Peters. A trail of discarded items found between the self-storage property and a house three-tenths of a mile away aided police in their initial search. The thieves subsequently tried to sell some of the stolen property at pawn shops and through social media. Several of the suspects either lived at the residence or visited the property, Peters said.
Police later found stolen property from another Dover self-storage facility on River Street. Investigators also gathered evidence from a third Dover location, the source reported.
The compromised self-storage properties all had security measures in place including lighting, locks, perimeter fencing and video cameras. “I don’t know what more they could do, really,” Peters said. “[The thieves] just were very covered up, and they had the tools to break into what they wanted to break into.”
Those charged in connection with the burglaries are Bruce A. Criswell Jr., 34; Steven A. Dennis, 35; Chad A. Franklin-Buckey, 33; Edward V. Morris, 35; Jamie S. Nelson, 34; Glenn D.W. Skinner, 19; Brian L. Smith Jr., 35; and Cory S. Stout, 31.
Though the suspects entered not-guilty pleas in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court, most confessed to their involvement during the investigation, Peters said.
Source:
Times Reporter, Eight Suspects Facing 54 Charges in Storage Unit Break-Ins
