Maple Heights -- At least five juveniles are being questioned by police in connection with a March 25 assault of a Maple Height man.
The alleged assault took place near the 5400 block of West Boulevard shortly before 8 p.m. The man told police he was walking and saw "a group of juveniles" in a parking lot and was afraid, so he crossed the street. He said the juveniles followed him and one allegedly punched him in the head while another one pointed a black gun at his head, before the group ran away. The man told police the juveniles did not say anything to him. The man did not require treatment.While investigating the report, police saw a group of five juveniles a short distance away which matched the description given by the man. Police questioned the youths and discovered one of them had a pellet gun in his possession, which matched the description the man gave of the gun. Police said the investigation continues, but assault charges could be filed against one or more of the juveniles.
Petty theft
March 26. Where's the beef?: A 55-year-old Cleveland man was charged with shoplifting after an employee of a Warrensville Center Road grocery store reported seeing the man allegedly take 11 packages of beef, worth $93.52, and place them into a shopping bag. The man allegedly tried to walk out of the store with the goods, but was stopped by security and held until police arrived.
Theft
March 24. Cell phone snatched: An employee at the Maple Heights Regional Library told police that a cell phone was taken from a juvenile patron. According to police, an unidentified boy asked the juvenile patron if he could borrow a cell phone, and the patron obliged. The unidentified boy then ran out of the library and down Lee Road, with the patron following him, but the suspect got away. Police were given a description of the phone. No price was listed for the phone.
Burglary
March 24. Garage door kicked in: A Pease Road woman told police she noticed a panel of her garage door had been kicked in, but nothing was missing. Police found several footprints of children in the snow, but could not tell where the prints led. The report did not list a damage estimate.
Criminal damaging
March 23. Window broken: An Oakwood Avenue man came home around midnight and found the driver's window of his Chevy Tahoe had been smashed. According to police there was nothing missing nor any indication of what broke the window. The report did not list a damage estimate.
Suspicious person
March 23. Knock, knock: A Stafford Avenue woman told police someone kept knocking on her bedroom window shortly after 1 a.m., but she "could not see anything or anyone." Responding police said they found no one near the window.
March 23. Woman reports suspected crack smoker: A Libby Road woman told police she saw a man sitting in a blue car near her home, around 9:30 p.m. "using a crack pipe." The man was gone when police arrived.
Property damage
March 24. Pellet gun damage suspected: A Cato Street woman told police that she believes six chips in the rear window of her home were caused by shots from a pellet gun. However, no pellets were found, and the woman was not sure when the damage was done. There was no damage estimate listed.
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.