POLICE: Criminal Complaints

Thousands of Dollars Worth of Precious Jewelry Pawned

Brooke Renee Colao, 35, of Ellwood, is facing charges of receiving stolen property and theft by unlawful taking after an ongoing investigation.

Between Oct. 2015 and March 2016 the defendant supposedly stole various jewelry from a resident while she was working with her boyfriend who was doing contracted carpentry at the victims residence. The victim stated that every time the defendant was working with her boyfriend various jewelry would be missing.

The victim checked local and online pawn shops commonly used in the area, ultimately locating several pieces of the stolen jewelry. The defendant had pawned 17 separate stolen pieces of jewelry from the victim valued in a total loss of roughly $4,000.

Colao did admit to taking the jewelry.

 

Theft at Burger King

Ashley Birchfield, 32, of Youngstown, Ohio, is facing charges of theft by unlawful taking after an incident that occurred in October.

According to the criminal complaint, the manager of Burger King in Ellwood called for police due to a suspected employee theft.

When the officer arrived to the scene Birchfield gave her side of the story saying that she had bought her boyfriend a one dollar coupon and when she made change for it she believes this is where the confusion took place- and she claimed no money was missing.

The manager stated that the manager on shift the previous night was short $80.00 coincidentally again when Birchfield was working. The manager further stated that while viewing the surveillance camera all day she could clearly see when Birchfield stole money from the register.

At approximately 8:20p.m. on Oct. 22, Birchfield could be seen entering the cash register and purchasing a 1 dollar coupon while also trying to block the view of the camera as she took out $59.00, stuffing the evidence into her bra (this is what was clearly seen on the video, more money could have been taken).

Before and after the incident Birchfield was seen checking all the surveillance cameras in the managers office.

The officer advised the defendant of what is clearly seen on the surveillance recording, resulting in the defendant changing her story to now admit that she had taken the money but had put the money back into the register.

She was invited to talk to the officer at the police station and to bring the missing money, however, she didn’t show up.

Her position at Burger King has been suspended.

 

Heroin Discussion Turns into Domestic Dispute

Travis Bates of Ellwood will be facing charges after an altercation involving his wife had turned physical.

According to the police report, officers were dispatched to Bate’s residence on Wayne Ave. for an abandoned 911 call; dispatch advised the caller was a woman who yelled into the phone that she needed an officer and then hung up.

When officers arrived at the location they made contact with the victim, the wife of the defendant, who claimed that the fight had started because she and her husband started to argue after she had caught him trying to acquire heroin from someone she overheard him speaking to over the phone.

She confronted her husband about the conversation and the two struggled over the phone, which escalated the fight to become psychical. Bates punched his wife in the face twice.

Due to sufficient physical evidence apparent on the victim, Bates will be facing simple assault and harassment charges.