ASHTABULA — Equipment stolen from a Conneaut police officer’s home earlier this week, including a pistol and stun gun, were recovered during a search of a West 39th Street house in Ashtabula this morning, according to the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department.
An investigation has so far resulted in the arrest of three men and one woman, Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Van Robison said Thursday. More arrests are pending, he said.
“The investigation is continuing,” he said.
At issue is theft of police property from the home of a Conneaut patrolman on Wednesday. Thieves forcibly entered the home when no one was home, said Conneaut Safety Director Jon Arcaro, who also serves as police chief.
“They kicked in a door,” he said. “We’ve had a number of burglaries and vehicle (break-ins) in that area.”
Thieves took the patrolman’s uniforms and duty belt, which held a number of items, including a 9mm handgun, chemical spray and a TASER device, he said.
A neighbor provided a description of a vehicle spotted at the scene, Robison said.
Around 5 a.m. Thursday, Deputy Ted Barger spotted a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect vehicle, Robison said. During a traffic stop of the vehicle, Barger found the patrolman’s flashlight.
Detectives were contacted, and using information obtained from the traffic stop arrested three Ashtabula men, Robison said. Because of today’s legal holiday, the men should make their initial appearance in Ashtabula Municipal Court on Monday, Robison said.
Detectives learned the handgun may have been sold to a reported drug dealer at a West 39th Street address, Robison said. Deputies and Ashtabula police officers converged at the address, and as they arrived people fled, some jumping out of windows, according to reports.
A woman at the house was arrested for drug possession, Robison said.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the house, and located the Conneaut patrolman’s handgun and TASER, Robison said. Drugs and other firearms were seized, he said.
Charges are pending against other occupants of the house, Robison said.
The burglary suspects apparently didn’t know their victim’s occupation, Robison said. “They didn’t realize it was a police officer’s house,” he said.
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