Friday, February 15, 2013
Detectives are looking into whether the thefts are related.
The value of copper is on the rise, which means so are copper thefts. Lakewood police are investigating a string of copper thefts around the city during the past several weeks. There were six reported copper thefts — mostly from vacant homes — in January. And there have already been a few this month. It could be a crime of opportunity, committed by several thieves — or it could be a trend, said police chief Timothy Malley. “They could be the same person,” he said. “We are working some leads on one of the cases.” Malley said that nearly all of the homes involved were vacant. “Fortunately we have less of a market with less vacant homes than several years ago,” he added, noting that the value of copper is on the rise. On of the homes …
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
James Dina says his drug addiction fueled his poor decisions.
A 34-year-old Cleveland man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to 24 felony charges related to a string of copper thefts in Cuyahoga County — including several churches in Lakewood. James Dina, of 1011 Spring Rd., stood silently as he received the sentence from Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Eileen T. Gallagher. At times, he expressed emotion during the proceedings. “I hope everyone accepts my apologies,” he said, adding that it was an addiction to heroin that fueled his poor choices. “I wished this had never happened, but it’s a reality." There were four cases related to the 24 charges — a total of 16 charges breaking and entering, five charges of theft and vandalism, all fifth-degree …
41.50295
-81.696619
1200 Ontario St, Cleveland, OH
/articles/copper-thief-sentenced-to-two-and-a-half-years-in-prison
/locations/3918449
Thursday, March 17, 2011
James Dina, 34, pleaded guilty Tuesday to 24 counts of breaking and entering, burglary and theft.
A 34-year-old Cleveland man faces 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to 24 felony charges related to a string of copper thefts around Cuyahoga County — including several churches in Lakewood. James Dina, of 1011 Spring Rd., was set to go to trial Tuesday, but instead, pleaded guilty to the charges in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. He is set to be sentenced April 6. There were four cases related to the 24 charges — a total of 16 charges breaking and entering, five charges of theft and vandalism, all fifth-degree felonies; disrupting public service, a fourth-degree felony; and second-degree felony burglary. In the Lakewood case, Dina admitted stealing copper downspouts from the Lakewood Congregational Church, at 1375 West …
41.48442
-81.77738
City of Lakewood Police
12650 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH
/articles/cleveland-man-faces-30-years-in-prison-for-string-of-copper-thefts-in-lakewood-cuyahoga-county
1082186
/locations/3715706
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Cleveland man charged with felony theft suspected in several cases in Northeast Ohio.
Lakewood police cracked the case of stolen copper downspouts that, for the past year, have been ripped from the sides of area churches in the dark of night. And detectives solved the crime using some good, old-fashioned police work. Police tracked down the 34-year-old Cleveland man suspected of stealing copper from dozens of churches and buildings in Lakewood — and around Northeast Ohio — by following up on leads and investigating at Cleveland scrap yards looking for evidence. The end result was the arrest of James Dina, of 1011 Spring Rd., who was charged Monday with felony theft and is now being held in the Cuyahoga County jail. Lakewood police Capt. Ed Hassing said Dina is a suspect in several cases in the area — including Lakewood, …
Corey Livingston
9:56 am on Monday, February 18, 2013
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