While Athens residents and Ohio University students enjoyed an extended weekend, Athens Police officers responded to six thefts.
Thursday afternoon, Athens Police officers received a call that someone had been stealing money from women’s purses at the New Life Church, 10 South Green Dr., according to a police report.
From about 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m., one woman reported $60 was stolen from her purse and another woman reported $40 was stolen from her purse, according to the report.
The case is closed.
On Friday at about 12 p.m., Athens Police officers were called to The Shoe Department, 743 E. State St., where management said a male had stolen a pair of red Converse and was running toward the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., with another male, according to an Athens Police report.
Community center staff were alerted, and they advised officers that two males matching the suspects’ description were spotted in the building, according to the report.
Hank L Balch, Jr., was arrested for petty theft and Jacob Lanoux was arrested for obstructing justice, according to the report.
The $41 shoes were recovered, according to the report.
On Friday night, an Athens man was arrested and charged with strong-armed robbery after punching a Dollar General clerk.
Raymond Luty, 50, was arrested Friday at about 8 p.m., after punching a clerk at Dollar General, 1016 E. State St., while stealing two pairs of tan capri pants, according to an Athens Police report.
Luty caused minor injury to the clerk’s face before fleeing the scene, but the clerk did not need medical treatment, according to the report.
Athens Police officers began searching for Luty near Knight’s Inn, 997 E. State St., where they found him hiding in the crawl space of the rear building, according to the report.
One pair of pants was recovered, according to the report.
Luty was sent to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail and is being held on a $25,000 bond.
If convicted of the second degree felony, Luty could spend up to eight years in jail and pay up to $15,000, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
Also on Friday, a woman reported her camera was stolen from the Days Inn Hotel, 330 Columbus Road. According to the police report, the purple, Kodak Easy Share C195 camera, worth about $82, was stolen somewhere between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
On Saturday at about 1:30 p.m., a man reported that someone had entered his apartment, 27 N. Court St., Apt. 206, and stolen his $2,000 MacBook Pro laptop at some point the night before, according to a report.
There are no suspects at this time.
Yesterday, a man reported an unknown person illegally entered his home, 122 E. Union St., and stole his guitar, according to a report.
The cream colored electric guitar, which was stolen between the hours of 1:30 a.m. and 12 p.m., was worth $935, according to the report, which also stated there were no signs of forced entry at the residence.
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