How to steal a whole fleet of luxury cars? A 44-count indictment recently unsealed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court lays out an elaborate scheme. According to police and prosecutors, eight men charged in the heists posed as customers during the day shopping for BMW X models, Cadillac Escalades and Mercedes-Benz SUVs. Rather than returning the fobs before they left, the indictment says the thieves surreptitiously swapped them for similar-looking ones they gave to the sales people. Between May and September, the group hit at least 20 dealerships across Ohio, Michigan and Florida, police said. At night, the thieves broke into the dealerships and used the genuine fobs to steal the vehicles they had viewed, prosecutors say. The indictment says the ring moved cars to other cities and outfitted the cars with stolen license plates. All eight men are charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy and aggravated theft of $1.5 million or more. It sounds like a movie.
— Laura
|
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Guardians at Detroit Tigers: Guardians hitters shake themselves awake to beat Tigers, 9-8, in 10 innings Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Beryl's remnants arrive |
|
|
Prosecutors accuse eight defendants of running a racketeering enterprise across Ohio, Michigan and Florida. (File photo) |
|
|
Luxury car theft: Cuyahoga County prosecutors have charged eight men with running a luxury car-theft scheme over several months last year, boosting 29 vehicles worth at least $1.5 million by pretending they were customers, reports John Tucker. Juvenile justice: In its first meeting, members of a new Cuyahoga County Council Juvenile Court Advisory Subcommittee were skeptical that recommendations to improve the county’s juvenile justice system would lead to meaningful change. Kaitlin Durbin reports that retired Cleveland Municipal Court administrative judge Ron Adrine, who was elected to chair the body, sought assurances that those recommendations would lead somewhere. Today in Ohio: Across Cuyahoga County, home values this year jumped an average of 32%, from a low of 15% in Hunting Valley to a high of 67% in East Cleveland. We’re talking about how your tax bill — and your city’s revenue — will increase on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
|
|
RTA grant: The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has won a $10.6 million federal grant to purchase and deploy new electric buses in poorer, high-ridership areas, federal officials announced Tuesday. Jeremy Pelzer reports the money will be used to replace some of the RTA’s diesel buses with electric ones, as well as install charging stations for the new vehicles. Abortion platform: Ohio Right to Life, the state’s largest and most influential anti-abortion organization, is concerned about a new platform under consideration by Republicans across the country, reports Laura Hancock. The proposed anti-abortion platform — which a committee adopted Monday afternoon — says abortion is an issue to be decided by the states, a departure from calling for a national ban in the current platform, which has been in place for 40 years. Vance stance: U.S. Sen. JD Vance said during a national television interview this week that he supports last month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that preserves access to medication abortion. Andrew Tobias reports the stance is sharply at odds with how Vance ran for office two years ago as an uncompromising abortion opponent. But it shows his increasing pragmatism on the issue, particularly as he melds his positions with ex-President Donald Trump, who will decide in the coming days whether Vance will be his running mate. |
|
|
Water quality: Every day of the summer, a small crew of NEORSD biologists and interns wade out into Lake Erie to test the quality of water at Cleveland’s two public beaches. The goal is to arm swimmers with the most up-to-date information possible and help them fend off the negative health and safety effects that can result from swimming in bacteria-infested water. Courtney Astolfi watched how the work was done. Loehmann hiring: The mayor of the small West Virginia city that hired former Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann apologized to Tamir Rice’s family Monday for the controversial hiring. “This should not have happened,” Kathy Glover said in a statement at a White Sulphur Springs City Council meeting. House fire: A house fire in South Euclid has left one person dead and two injured, reports Lucas Daprile. Officials responded at 3:20 p.m. Monday to a fire at a duplex at 4077 Ardmore Road, where three people were trapped on the second floor. Food Bank: Parma City Council’s Planning Committee will hold a public hearing on July 15 on the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s plans to open a Community Resource Center that connects people in need to food and a variety of social services, Cory Shaffer reports. Chinese garden: The style of “scholar’s garden” has four key elements, refined over hundreds of years, that make for a powerful experience with nature in a relatively small, simple space. The experience left Susan Brownstein wondering how the theory behind the design could be replicated in a Northeast Ohio garden. |
|
|
Hough high-rise: A long-vacant Hough high-rise is getting a chance at new life, reports Megan Sims. Northern Real Estate Urban Development, a minority- and woman-owned Washington, D.C., development company known as NREUV, has reached a $47 million deal to renovate 9410 Hough Ave. Bernie Kosar: Former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar said in an extensive interview with Cleveland Magazine that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and needs a liver transplant, reports Irie Harris. Stock growth: Ten major Ohio-based companies saw stock growth last week, which included Independence Day. The company with the most growth from the previous week was Kroger, headquartered in Cincinnati, reports Zachary Smith. |
|
|
Mail carrier robbed: A federal judge on Tuesday said a Cleveland Heights man got “the break of the century” when he sentenced the 20-year-old to more than five years in prison for robbing a mail carrier in South Euclid and using stolen keys to blue mail boxes to pilfer checks. Adam Ferrise reports U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent went below the mandatory minimum of seven years to sentence Devin Sims to five years and four months in prison and three years of post-prison supervision. Dirt-biker indicted: An Ashtabula man was indicted Tuesday and accused of using his dirt bike to strike and drag a Cleveland police officer. Andrew Fusco, 29, is charged with failure to comply with a police order, obstructing official business and two counts of felonious assault. Steelyard shooting: A man was killed during a car meet early Sunday in the Steelyard Commons parking lot. Jacob Mynatt, 21, of Brook Park, was shot to death about 4:15 a.m., Olivia Mitchell reports. Shooting death: Police are investigating the shooting death of a Richmond Heights man on Cleveland’s East Side, reports Olivia Mitchell. Khamari Campbell, 20, died Sunday at MetroHealth Medical Center. |
|
|
Ask Lucas: Lucas Daprile has groundhogs in his backyard and they’re devouring daisies, beans, cucumbers and even the morning glories in a memorial garden. He needs readers' advice. Rock Hall: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced that it has received $7 million to support its ongoing expansion and renovation project, reports Malcolm X Abram. Ken and Martha Taylor of the Taylor family, which owns Ohio CAT and Ohio Peterbilt, gifted the museum $4 million and will be recognized by having the expansion’s community park named for them. Garage Beer: Garage Beer Co. has exploded recently. The brand now sponsored by Travis and Jason Kelce is available in 13 states, including widely in Ohio. Andrew Tobias reports the emergence of Garage Beer is part of a larger, recent trend of smaller brewers making products that seek to emulate “dad beers” — a term that references the classic American light beers favored by previous generations — instead of replacing them. 'Superman': “Superman” director James Gunn returned to the Detroit Superior Bridge on Tuesday to film scenes for DC’s upcoming movie, Joey Morona reports. During the early part of the morning, the action centered on a green Volkswagen Jetta trying to drive its way out of a collision caused by a speeding motorcycle and across the bridge. The film crew captured the moment with a drone taking sweeping shots of the city. The movie will shoot scenes at Progressive Field for several days this week. MOCA appointment: The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland announced the appointment of veteran curator DJ Hellerman as its new deputy director and senior curator, reports Steven Litt. Hellerman grew up in Painesville and holds a master’s degree in art history from Case Western Reserve University. |
|
|
Shaker Heights police could have a drone to call their own by year’s end Read more Richmond Heights gets state check to build new salt storage bin; Mayor Thomas says she’s working on physical ‘transformation’ of city Read more Dick’s Sporting Goods proposes House of Sport on site of former Sears at SouthPark Mall in Strongsville Read more As Akron City Council mulls Ward 8 appointment, some residents request candidate forum Read more Humane Society of Summit County appoints Nick Browning as new president, CEO Read more Mentor to host games day featuring variety of competitions, special celebrity guest Read more ODOT closes Route 8 southbound to I-76 eastbound ramp: See detour Read more Cleveland Heights council to hold confirmation hearing for new city finance director Read more |
|
|
NEW! Terry's Talkin' with Terry Pluto Newsletter |
Connect with Northeast Ohio’s favorite sports columnist as Terry shares his exclusive thoughts and insights on Cleveland sports teams, as well as issues on personal faith like in his popular weekly Faith & You column. There's one caveat, though. This is an exclusive newsletter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer loyal subscribers. Not a subscriber? That's ok. You can receive a few weeks of Terry’s newsletter as a free trial. In either case, click here sign up. |
|
|
Want the top headlines but don't have time to read? Listen to cleveland.com’s Today in Ohio podcast on Spotify, Google or Apple Podcasts. |
|
|
WANT TO SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH A FRIEND? |
Did someone share this newsletter with you? Click here to never miss a day! |
|
|
To contact the newsrooms for any of our publications regarding technical support, news tips, classified ads and other inquiries, please click here. |
|
|
Unlimited Digital Access. |
|
|
$5 for first month (cancel anytime) |
| |
|
$5 for first month (cancel anytime) |
| |
|
INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING
OR SPONSORING OUR NEWSLETTERS? |
|
|
|
