Jury indicts 3 in break-ins, ATM thefts

11/1/2000

A Lucas County grand jury yesterday returned a 37-count indictment against each of three men who police said sometimes went to the extreme of smashing store windows with a sport utility vehicle so they could haul away automatic teller machines.

The men were accused of stealing an estimated $40,000 in nine break-ins, David Petermann, an assistant county prosecutor, said. Richard Carter of 936 Pinewood Ave., Floyd White of 1329 South Ave., and Thomas Scott Miller of 3234 Beaumont Dr. were indicted on nine counts each of breaking and entering and possessing criminal tools, seven counts each of disrupting public service and safecracking, and five counts of grand theft.

The crimes began Sept. 13, 1999, when a stolen sport utility vehicle was used to break through the glass window of the Citgo One Stop, 1708 East Manhattan Blvd. The thieves loaded a small ATM into the vehicle and left.

The burned remains of the vehicle and the ATM were found about three hours later. The ATM had been broken into, but police did not say how much money, if any, was stolen. In all, seven convenience stores, a bar, and a hardware store were broken into.

White, convicted in Lucas County Common Pleas Court during the summer in an unrelated aggravated robbery, is serving a nine-year prison sentence. Mr. Carter is in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $10,000 bond for an unrelated felonious-assault charge. Police haven't arrested Mr. Miller.