PAINESVILLE, Ohio — According to www.news-herald.com, Thomas P. Riggs, 33, faces charges in both Painesville and Willoughby municipal courts for a spree of thefts targeting carwash vending devices in Lake and Geauga counties over multiple days.
Riggs is accused of driving around with a female accomplice and breaking into bill changers and other automated vending devices at carwashes in Eastlake, Middlefield and Painesville from Feb. 18-20, the article stated.
On Mar. 7th, the Lake County Sherriff’s Office formally charged Riggs with two fourth-degree felony counts of safecracking, two fifth-degree felony vandalism counts, one fifth-degree felony count of possessing criminal tools and a first-degree misdemeanor theft count, the article noted.
Riggs is being held on a $15,000/10 percent cash or surety bond, the article continued, and has a Mar. 13 preliminary hearing at the Painesville Municipal Court.
On Mar. 9th, Eastlake police charged him with two fourth-degree felony safecracking counts and one first-degree misdemeanor theft count in connection to $211 stolen from automated sales machines at Zappy’s Car Wash, the article reported.
His bond was set at $5,000 cash or surety, the article noted, and he is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at Willoughby Municipal Court on Mar. 14th.
Riggs could receive up to nine years in prison if convicted of the felony charges alone, the article stated.
At the time of reporting, it was not clear if there were any other arrests made in connection with the thefts, the article concluded.
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