Police News: Copper pipes spirited away from St. Wenceslas

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Maple Heights -- Police are trying to find out who broke into the former St. Wenceslas Church, 17825 Libby Road, and took an undetermined amount of copper pipes.

According to Maple Heights Police Detective Gerald Prusha, a church groundskeeper was checking out the building April 9 shortly after 10 a.m. when he noticed water leaking from the ceiling.

Prusha said the groundskeeper discovered various copper pipes had been torn out of the walls.

Prusha said the number and cost for the pipes, and the damage to the building, have not been determined.

Police found no signs of forced entry, and the wooden planks covering the windows of the church, which has been vacant since last year, appeared untouched.

However, Prusha said the thief may have gotten in through an "unsecured door to the gymnasium."

And while nothing else appears to have been taken, a partially empty bottle of church wine was found on the floor inside the gym.

The church, which operated in Maple Heights from 1923 to 2007, has recently been used for police and firefighter training.

Menacing

April 9. Woman threatened over 'Net: A Maple Heights woman told police she met a man through a popular Internet Web site. She said the two began arguing via computer text messages and the man told her he would "kill her." Police advised the woman to contact them again if any more threats are made.

Disturbance

April 9. Restaurant patrons get unwanted welcome: An employee of a Broadway Avenue restaurant told police four boys were "hanging out in front of the store making obscene gestures" at both her and the customers inside. The youths were gone when police arrived.

Shots fired

April 9. Shots miss man: A 19-year-old Maple Heights man told police that he was driving on Warrensville Center Road shortly before 8:30 p.m. when a four-door car pulled up next to him. The man told police someone called his name, then a back seat passenger fired what he thought was a gun at him three times.

The man was not hit, nor was his car damaged. According to police, he did not get a description of the driver, shooter or the vehicle. No one was reported injured. Police found no bullet shells at the scene nor other evidence of shots being fired.

Petty theft

April 16. Vodka vanishes: An employee of a Warrensville Center Road food store told police a man walked out the business without paying for a $9 bottle of vodka. The employee said the man got into a black car with temporary license tags and drove away.

Vandalism

April 15. Windows broken at school: An employee of a Broadway Avenue college told police she saw a man around 4:50 p.m. throw several rocks, which broke five of the school's windows. The employee told police she yelled at the man to stop, but he continued throwing the rocks. No one was injured.

The report did not list a damage total.

Editor's note: Police News is a sampling of incidents responded to by local law enforcement agencies. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.