Please take a moment to read the following from Commander Tom Stacho...Subject: Fabulous arrest and example of police-community collaboration This is such a fabulous story I needed to relay it to you today! First the bad: a male was robbed of his Iphone outside the Westside Market just before 11am on Friday. The good: 2nd District Cleveland police officers, both on-duty and off-duty, worked together with a student from St. Ignatius high school, an unidentified female, an unidentified male on a bike and a member of our K-9 Unit to chase down and capture the 21 year old suspect in the case. Here is how it played out: Ohio City resident Christopher Ryba was standing on the sidewalk outside the Westside Market talking on his cell phone when the arrested male, Dejour Crawford, m/b/21, of Methyl Ave. on Clevelands southeast side (4th District), rode by on a bike and robbed Mr. Ryba of his cell phone. The suspect fled the scene eastbound on a bicycle across the Lorain-Carnegie bridge. Unfortunately for the suspect, a number of citizens got involved. One of those citizens was a 17-year old St. Ignatius High School senior, Alex Forcht, who just happened to be returning to the school from the St. Ignatius Mass at St. Johns Cathedral in downtown Cleveland. Having witnessed this robbery, Mr. Forcht followed the suspect in his personal vehicle while Mr. Ryba gave chase on foot and an unidentified male gave chase on a bicycle. Realizing that he was not going to escape, the suspect discarded the victims phone and continued to flee into the 3rd District on his bicycle. Mr. Forcht exited his vehicle and recovered the victims phone eventually turning it over to victim and Second District Detective David Santiago #1697. Detective Santiago was working off duty providing security to the Westside Market when he was alerted to the robbery of Mr. Ryba by an unidentified good Samaritan who, like Mr. Forcht, witnessed the robbery. Detective Santiago, who was on foot, then commandeered a motorized, city owned waste collection cart assigned to the Market and responded to the west end of the Lorain-Carnegie bridge where he gathered suspect information from the victim and witness. While in route to speak with the victim Detective Santiago notified on-duty Westside Market beat officer Gerson Martinez #1346 of the robbery and Officer Martinez immediately responded to the scene. After gathering suspect information, officer Martinez and Detective Santiago broadcast the suspects description over the air to 2nd and 3rd District cars. Moments later, K-9 Officer Paul Fronckowiak #401 spotted the suspect on Woodland Ave. near E.30 St. Officer Fronckowiak was able to detain the suspect until Detective Santiago and Officer Martinez could respond to the scene with the victim. Immediately upon observing the suspect who was detained by Officer Fronckowiak, the victim positively identified him as the male that robbed him. The suspect was then placed under arrest and booked into the citys jail on one count of robbery. He was formally charged with robbery Saturday morning. This is a wonderful example of the good that can come out of the collaboration between dedicated police officers and an engaged citizenry. Thank you to young Mr. Forcht who, without regard to his own safety, pursued the robbery suspect and ultimately recovered the victims stolen property. Thank you to the unidentified female who immediately alerted Detective Santiago to the robbery and to the unidentified male who pursued the suspect on his bicycle. Thank you to all involved for helping make Ohio City safer! Thomas A. Stacho Commander - Second Police District
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 04:22:12 +0000
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