5 teens arrested in Midway Mall break-in
ELYRIA, Ohio (WJW) — A 19-year-old arrested in a break-in last week at Midway Mall told police he and his friends smashed up the inside of a department store, made a mess at a restaurant and tried to break into a cell phone repair store.
Elyria police responded to a breaking and entering complaint at the mall just before 11 p.m. on Friday, April 26, according to a police report.
Dispatchers said a male wearing a dark hoodie was seen running inside, attempting to break into a cell phone repair shop.
Two officers entered the mall through a restaurant entrance and heard glass and metal “being destroyed” inside a department store. They saw four juveniles inside breaking light bulbs and “destroying” the store’s interior, reads a report. When confronted, they fled.
An officer chased and caught a suspect, later identified as 19-year-old William M. Toth, of Rocky River, who was wielding a hammer. Toth reportedly dropped the hammer in the parking lot during the chase.
Toth told the officer he picked up the teens, later identified as three 15-year-olds and one 16-year-old, from two North Ridgeville homes. He said they got into the mall through an open door.
A mall security guard later told police that an unknown suspect had been coming into the department store at night and destroying items inside.
Toth admitted they tried to steal exit signs and tried to break into a cell phone repair shop. Others got into a nearby restaurant and took water bottles from a cooler and spilled sauce on the floor. Inside Toth’s vehicle, police found two exit signs he said the juveniles took from inside the department store.
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Three of the juveniles were found hiding in foliage near a sport vehicle dealer. The fourth was spotted running from the entrance of the department store. That juvenile tripped and fell, suffering minor injuries, and was apprehended.
The juveniles were released to their mothers. They’re accused of a felony count of breaking and entering as well as misdemeanor counts of criminal damaging, theft and obstructing official business.
Toth was jailed until his arraignment Monday in Elyria Municipal Court on a felony count of breaking and entering and several other misdemeanor counts including contributing to child delinquency, theft and criminal damaging, among others. He was handed a combined $9,500 bond.
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