SOLON, Ohio – Solon police handled a range of cases from Oct. 5 to Oct. 11, including a gun found in the bushes, a store theft warrant and an online scam. The summaries below come from the department’s weekly update and are grouped by category, then listed by date. Police charges are allegations, and anyone charged is presumed innocent until proven in court. Fraud and Theft Instagram Message From a “Cousin” Leads to Scam On Oct. 7 at 5:25 p.m., a Solon woman, 26, reported a scam in the SOM Center Road area. She received an Instagram message from someone who appeared to be her cousin. The “cousin” described a way she could invest money and earn more back. She sent $121 through CashApp to the fraudster. She is now trying to get a refund. Hobby Lobby Theft Tied to Macedonia Case Officers went to Hobby Lobby on SOM Center Road on Oct. 8 at 1:20 p.m. for a theft report. A manager there said the store manager at the Macedonia Hobby Lobby had called her about a theft at that store on Sept. 26. Macedonia police arrested a suspect in that case. The Solon manager was then told the same suspect reportedly stole from the Solon store on Sept. 21. The Solon manager conducted an investigation. Surveillance video showed a man open a large box that held a furniture item. He took the item out and discarded it. He then loaded the box with smaller items. The man paid $95, the price of the large furniture piece, and left the store. An audit showed the box actually held $1,100 worth of merchandise. Employees did not notice the box was open at the time. Solon issued a warrant for a 48 year old Newbury man on a charge of Theft (F5). Harassment Woman Reports Months of Lewd Texts and Calls On Oct. 5 at 8:35 p.m., an adult woman in the Richmond Road area reported telecommunications harassment. She said an unknown man has sent her lewd text messages and made calls for about the past ten months. She told the person to stop, but the contacts continued. The messages and calls came from several different phone numbers. Detectives will investigate. Trespassing Sheetz Employee Arrested After Refusing to Leave Officers responded to Sheetz on Cochran Road on Oct. 7 at 6:49 p.m. for an unwanted person. A manager told police an employee would not leave the property. She said he was told to clock out after he refused to complete work tasks as directed. He did not respond to requests to leave, so she called police. Officers spoke with the man on scene and gave him warnings, but he would not cooperate. Police said officers had to use force to arrest him. They used pepper spray after he pulled away, struggled and resisted. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment and released. He was then booked into the Solon Jail. Police identified him as a 25 year old man from Warrensville Heights. He was charged with Criminal Trespassing (M4) and Resisting Arrest (M1). Weapons and Drugs Bicycle Stop Ends With Loaded Pistol Found in Bushes Officers went to Sheetz on Cochran Road on Oct. 11 at 10:35 p.m. after a report that a man was trying to sell drugs inside the gas station. The drugs were reportedly Percocet pills, a narcotic. The suspect reportedly left on a bicycle, heading west on Aurora Road. An officer spotted the bike on the road at night without a red light on the back. The officer stopped the rider. As the bike came to a stop, the officer saw the man throw an item into nearby bushes. A second officer searched the area and found a loaded semiautomatic pistol. Police learned the man had a protection order against him from a City of Bedford case. That order barred him from possessing firearms. He was arrested. Officers also found him with 12 pills suspected of containing oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic. He did not have a prescription. He denied trying to sell the pills. The suspect, a 32 year old Bedford Heights man, was taken to the Solon Jail. He was charged with: Possession of a Controlled Substance (F5) Violating a Protection Order (F3) Carrying Concealed Weapons (F4) Tampering with Evidence (F3) Frequently Asked Questions 1. How can I tell if a message from a relative on social media is a scam? Contact your relative by phone or in person before sending money. Scammers often copy a real person’s name and photo, and they push investment offers that promise quick returns. 2. What should I do if I sent money to a scammer through CashApp? Report the payment to CashApp right away and ask about a refund. Also file a report with your local police department so the case is documented. 3. What is telecommunications harassment in Ohio? It generally involves using phone calls, texts or other electronic communication to harass or threaten someone. Victims can report it to police, who may assign detectives to investigate. 4. Can a person with a protection order against them legally carry a gun? Not in the case described here. Solon police said the protection order barred the man from possessing firearms, and he was charged with violating it. 5. How do Solo