Two charged in GPS thefts

By ANNIE ZELM | Sunday July 06 2008, 7:35am

SANDUSKY/PERKINS TWP.

Officers seemed to have no trouble tracking down a Columbus pair who admitted to stealing numerous GPS units from tourists' vehicles.

Two Columbus residents were arrested early Saturday morning shortly after one allegedly punched through vehicle windows to steal at least 9 GPS units from the parking lots of hotels in Sandusky and Perkins Township, police said.

Richard J. Greene, 26, was charged with two counts theft and two counts criminal damaging, and Misty M. Calloway, 23, was charged with receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Greene allegedly broke through the driver's side window of a 2002 Honda Odyssey van and the right front passenger window of a 2005 Dodge Caravan, both of which were parked at the Motel 6.

The owners of the vehicles reported seeing blood on the dashboards. The Perkins Police Department brought Greene and Calloway into custody and located four GPS units, two of which he allegedly seized form the parking lot of Maui Sands Resort. He had lacerations on his forearm. Greene was transported to the Erie County Jail.

He later admitted to stealing various models of GPS units from vehicles along U.S. 250, including the Fairfield Inn, Kalahari Resort, Hampton Inn and Comfort Inn. His initial court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Erie County Municipal Court.

Greene was also charged with one count of drug abuse, one count of receiving stolen property, nine counts of criminal damaging, one count of possession of criminal tools, one count of resisting arrest and one count of theft, according to Perkins Township police reports. He was also cited for driving under suspension.

Officers from the Perkins Police Department seized criminal tools and drugs from the pair, including a pair of needle nose pliers, a screw driver, two flashlights and a marijuana cigarette, as well as a plastic bag containing marijuana.