Man, 19, charged with vehicle thefts

9/13/2007

PORT CLINTON - A 19-year-old man has been indicted by an Ottawa County grand jury on felony and misdemeanor charges for reportedly stealing several cars from residences in the west end of the county.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Cory Haeft of Williston, charging him with three felony counts of theft of a motor vehicle and five misdemeanor counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

He is being held in the Wood County jail after his arrest Aug. 29 on felony warrants issued by Northwood police for receiving stolen property and failure to comply with an order from a police officer. Those charges were filed in connection with a stolen vehicle and pursuit handled by Northwood police.

Ottawa County sheriff's deputies said Mr. Haeft took the cars from residents during a two-month period this summer. Most of the vehicles were returned to the residences - some before they were reported missing - but three were left in other counties, including one that had been crashed.

Deputies said Mr. Haeft confessed to taking at least 10 vehicles from the county during the night and entering others to take money.

Also indicted were:

•Thomas A. Lucki, 47, of Oberlin, Ohio, on one felony count of gross sexual imposition and one misdemeanor count of sexual imposition for engaging in sexual contact with a minor in June at a home in Danbury Township.

•Kiel S. Welch, 22, of Sheffield Village, Ohio, on one felony count of felonious assault after reportedly striking another man in an altercation at Put-in-Bay earlier this month, causing serious injuries to the victim.

•Russell M. Beaver, 57, of Port Clinton on one felony count of domestic violence after causing harm to a family or household member in August.

Those three men are scheduled to make their initial appearances Oct. 25 in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court.