Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Task Force Cracks Down On Burglary Ring

November 21, 2007 -- YOUNGSTOWN – Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) announced the recent indictment and arrest of three individuals believed to be responsible for numerous burglaries throughout Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Police suspect these individuals are responsible for approximately 30 commercial business burglaries occurring throughout the Mahoning Valley during 2006 and early 2007. The investigation revealed that many of the establishments had been targeted by means of prior surveillance with the use of electronic equipment. In several of the burglaries, the alarm system had been defeated and entry occurred via the roof or by cutting a hole in the wall of an adjacent business. Police recovered several safes that had been taken from the businesses and noted that the thieves demonstrated a certain level of skill while committing these offenses. Police also seized tools, scanners, headbands with attached lighting, a list of radio frequencies for area police agencies, handcuffs, binoculars and misc. jewelry.

• Jason Kirkpatrick, age 28, of Warren, Ohio was indicted October 30, 2007 by the Trumbull County Grand Jury for Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, 19 counts of Breaking & Entering, 9 counts of Grand Theft and 5 counts of felony vandalism.

• Aaron Toole, age 28, of Warren, Ohio was indicted by the Trumbull County Grand Jury September 20, 2007 for Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, 15 counts of Breaking & Entering, 7 counts of Grand Theft, 1 count of Receiving Stolen Property and 3 counts of felony vandalism.

• James Hunsbarger, age 27, of Campbell, Ohio pled to a Bill of Information in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on October 10 to 2 counts of Breaking & Entering and is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

“The OOCIC task force will be continuing its investigation and anticipates additional arrests in the near future,” said Attorney General Dann.

On December 8, 2006, the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission established a task force to address an epidemic of business burglaries that were occurring in the Mahoning Valley that appeared to be the result of organized criminal activity. The task force consists of police officers from local, county and state law enforcement agencies and agents of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

The agencies on the task force are:
Canfield Police Department
Hubbard Twp Police Dept
Girard Police Department
BCI & I
Liberty Twp. Police Dept
Beaver Police Department
Boardman Police Department
Youngstown Police Department
Weatherfield Twp Police Dept
Struthers Police Dept
Austintown Police Department
Mahoning County Sheriff's Office
Bazetta Police Dept
Poland Twp Police Department
Adult Parole Authority
Mahoning County Prosecutor
Trumbull County Prosecutor
Victim Businesses:
Subway Restaurant – Warren
Subway Restaurant – Boardman
Subway Restaurant – Youngstown
Subway Restaurant – Cortland
Payday Cash Advance – Warren
Frito Lay (trucks) – Warren
Dr. Harnetts Office – Bazzetta Twp.

Elmo’s Bras – Boardman
VFW Post 109 – Warren
Charlies Restaurant – Austintown
Burlington Coat Factory – Boardman
Outdoor Recreation – Boardman
The Vault – Niles
Tic Tac Dough – Warren
Union Palace – Lordstown
Check into Cash – Warren
Radio Shack – Columbiana
Advance America Cash Advance – Columbiana
Hearing Aids & Devices - Columbiana
Bowl-a-drome – Struthers
Treasure Island – Warren
Piggy Banks – Warren
Body Tech – Cortland
Sparkles - Boardman

Source: Ohio Attorney General

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