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  Akron Puppy Recovered

Ohio.com

December 31, 2008

http://www.ohio.com/news/36918049.html

AKRON: Akron police have recovered a puppy stolen Monday night from a pet store.

The puppy, an 11-week-old miniature pinscher, was stolen from Petland at Chapel Hill Mall by a man and a female accomplice, said store manager Amanda McLaughlin.

After the couple fled the store, clerks saw Travis Fockler, 20, a second time and told him to come into the store, police said.

When he fled once again, a store clerk tackled him, took him back to the store and held him until police arrived.

The accomplice got away with the dog.

''Police are on their way here with it now,'' McLaughlin said Tuesday afternoon.

She said she believes the female accomplice is a minor.

Police arrested Fockler, of Reed Avenue in Akron, and charged him with felony complicity to commit theft, said Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards.

''His mother called the police and gave them the information they needed to get the dog back,'' McLaughlin said.

It was the third time in less than two weeks puppies have been stolen from the store, she said.

In separate incidents Saturday, two different women stole Pomeranian puppies, she said.

Both dogs were recovered by police after store clerks followed the women and got their cars' license plate numbers.

CLEVELAND

Ex-priest gets life

CLEVELAND: A former priest and lawyer from Akron has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of raping a boy in the 1990s.

Joseph N. Williams was convicted last week of three counts of rape and one count of kidnapping.

He was sentenced by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John J. Russo. Williams had denied the charges.

Williams was convicted of molesting the boy, then 8 years old, during a family outing they attended at a Warrensville Heights nursing home in 1992.

Evidence was also introduced that Williams molested a teenaged male family acquaintance between 1984 and 1986.

Williams was a priest from 1969 to 1975 and earned his law license in 1986. There was no testimony that Williams assaulted boys while he was a priest.

Arrest in bank heists

CLEVELAND: A man suspected of robbing 12 banks, including three in Summit and Stark counties, has been arrested.

FBI spokesman Scott Wilson said 33-year-old Kenneth Gibson of Cleveland was charged in Monday's holdup at a Cleveland branch of National City Bank.

The FBI said Gibson will face charges in 11 other bank holdups over the last two months, including a KeyBank branch in Akron and the FirstMerit branch in Bath Township on Oct. 29, and the KeyBank branch in Jackson Township on Dec. 22.

Agents and police working on a tip were looking for Gibson about the time of Monday's holdup. They responded to the robbery and arrested him.

The robberies began Oct. 27 in Erie, Pa., and included holdups in the Youngstown, Columbus, Toledo, Canton and Cleveland areas.

MEDINA COUNTY

King celebration set

MEDINA: The city will host Live the Dream, a community celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr., at 4 p.m. Jan. 18 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 400 N. Broadway St.

The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Michael Wilson, pastor of Second Baptist Church of Medina. Prayer Warriors will provide the music.

The Martin Luther King Celebration committee is accepting donations to a scholarship fund for local minority students. Checks should be written to Medina Ministerial Association and mailed to the attention of Pastor Tom Schwartz, St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 400 N. Broadway St., Medina 44256.

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SUMMIT COUNTY

New Year's Eve race

STOW: The Summit Athletic Running Club is holding its annual New Year's Eve 5K at 4 p.m. today at Stow-Munroe Falls High School, 3227 Graham Road, Stow.

Registration starts at 1:30 p.m.

The cost is $17 for club members and $20 for others.

Joggers pushing or carrying babies; pets; strollers; roller blades; and bikes are not allowed on the course.

Sponsors include North Akron Savings Bank, Summa Health System's Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital, Falls Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center and the Millennial Group.

 
 

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