Solon Police Investigate Mail Theft, Bank Scam and Hotel Rewards Points Fraud

The Solon Police Department released its weekly report of incidents for July 13. Officers handled cases ranging from mail theft and phone scams to a felony warrant arrest and a hotel fraud investigation. Mail Theft Costs Business $24,000 A manager at Hostar International, located at 31005 Solon Rd., reported that a check sent to a vendor in Willoughby never arrived. The check was mailed from the outdoor mailbox at the Solon Post Office on June 3. Staff later learned the check had been deposited into an unrelated account two weeks after it was mailed. Investigators say someone intercepted the check in the mail, then posed as the intended recipient to deposit the $24,000 through a mobile banking app. Hostar reported this was the second time a check meant for that same vendor had been intercepted. The company's bank caught the first attempt before it cleared, and no money was lost that time. Detectives are investigating the July incident. Dog Walking Dispute Turns Physical A 78 year old Solon man told officers a dog walker threatened him outside a home on Clarendon Drive. He said the dog had walked onto his grass, so he asked the owner to keep it off his property and then sprayed an animal repellent onto the lawn. He claimed the man swung at him, knocked the repellent bottle from his hand, and threatened him. Officers located the 51 year old Solon man walking nearby on Cannon Road. He told police he was walking his dog on the sidewalk when the resident began spraying something on the grass and recording him. He admitted knocking the bottle out of the resident's hand but denied making any threats. The case was referred to the prosecutor, though charges are considered unlikely. Woman Loses $1,000 to Bank Impersonation Scam A Solon woman reported a call from someone claiming to be her bank's fraud department. The caller sounded convincing, similar to legitimate calls she had received before, and asked whether she had made purchases in Texas or sent $1,000 through Zelle. She said she had not. After walking through her recent transactions and providing a case number, the caller told her she needed to send a $1,000 Zelle payment to a supervisor to reverse the fraudulent charge. She complied after the caller remained persistent. She grew suspicious afterward, hung up, and called her actual bank using a verified number. Police believe she may be able to recover the funds, but she is currently out $1,000. Traffic Stop Leads to Felony Warrant Arrest An officer stopped a blue Kia on US 422 westbound at SOM Center Road for expired plates. The driver, identified as owner Henry Hope J., had an outstanding felony warrant through the Summit County Sheriff's Office for Failure to Appear on an Improper Handling of a Firearm charge. He was arrested and turned over to Summit County deputies. Three adult passengers were given a ride to the police station, and the vehicle was towed. Solon did not file any local charges. Hotel Guest Caught Using Stolen Rewards Points A manager at TownePlace Suites on Enterprise Parkway called police after a customer noticed someone had checked into the hotel using his rewards points account without permission. Staff wanted the unauthorized guests removed. Officers responding to the room asked the two occupants for identification. The female offered an ID, but the male had none and gave officers a verbal identification instead. When a records check showed his physical description did not match the name he had given, he ran from officers inside the hotel. Police caught him quickly and determined his true identity. The hotel manager asked only that the pair be issued trespass warnings. The female, 27, of Bedford, received a Criminal Trespass warning and was released. The male, identified as Teshawn Travis Otis Johnson, 25, of Euclid, also received a trespass warning and was cited for Falsification and Obstructing Official Business. Records showed he had felony warrants out of Cleveland for Domestic Violence, Cuyahoga County for a probation violation tied to Robbery with a Firearm, and Medina County for Receiving Stolen Property. Johnson was taken to Solon Jail to await pickup by Cleveland police.