Ohio Police Make Arrests in Retail Theft Ring

A man and his female accomplice were arrested at a Green motel in an alleged shoplifting-for-hire scheme, authorities announced Thursday.

The Summit County Sheriff's Office identified the suspects as Lachurm D. Terry, 37, who gave arresting officers an address on Talbot Avenue in Akron, and 40-year-old Tammy L. Turner, who gave an address on Bachtel Avenue in Akron.

The arrests were made Wednesday after a deputy noticed a suspicious person entering the motel and knocked on the door to the room, a sheriff's report stated.

Sheriff Drew Alexander said the occupants opened the door, and when they did, the deputy saw stacks of clothing bearing price tags and anti-theft tags "in plain view."

Alexander said the suspects admitted to stealing the clothing from Dillard's at Summit Mall and from stores at a mall in Grove City, Pa.

Other stolen items were recovered in the room, including several statues and a lava lamp that Terry admitted stealing "on a special order for his customers," the sheriff said.

A wallet containing credit cards and other identification, which had been reported as stolen from Westfield Shoppingtown Belden Village in Jackson Township, also was recovered, the sheriff said.

According to the report, Terry uses as many as 10 aliases and three Social Security numbers and has an extensive criminal record. He has been convicted of robbery, heroin possession, breaking and entering, grand theft, possession of criminal tools, forgery, aggravated menacing, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving under suspension, theft and larceny.

He also had prior arrests in Arizona and Florida and was on parole from Pennsylvania, the report stated.

Alexander said the pair admitted shoplifting in October in Akron.

Both suspects were being held in the Summit County Jail on Thursday in lieu of $5,000 cash bond. Each was charged with receiving stolen property.

More charges are expected, Alexander said.