The Summit County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office released video captured by security cameras this week showing a criminal suspect breaking into a neighborhood pub in an Akron suburb. As the incident occurred in the severe winter storm that hit much of the country just before Christmas, deputies have dubbed the inept crook shown in the video the “Blizzard Bandit.”
The video shows the break-in at the bar took place at 3:12 a.m. on December 23.
In a Facebook post that contained the video, the sheriff’s office wrote: “This criminal mastermind braved sub-zero temperatures, blizzard winds (and now, public ignominy) to make off with precisely $0.00.”
Deputies are asking the public for information about the suspect shown in the video, who has not yet been identified. The post described the inept thief as a White male “short in stature.” After his dry run inside the bar, he left the scene in what appeared to be a gray Ford sedan.
The video shows the suspect smashing his way into the bar with a crowbar by shattering the lower half of the front door. He then crawled into the establishment that had closed for the night.
The crook attempted to vault over the bar but could not jump high enough to make it across. So he decided to run around the bar and began searching cash registers, but found nothing to take. After failing to come up with any loot, the would-be thief ran out of the bar, jumped a patio fence, and drove away.
The sheriff’s Facebook post added: “Let’s make him famous!”
Summit County Sheriff's Office searching for 'Blizzard Bandit' who broke into bar, came away empty-handed https://t.co/36J6iiBL0o pic.twitter.com/7x0kRekLoL
— Frank Macek @WKYC Studios (@MacekNewsNation) January 5, 2023
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed a bill into law this week that is intended to significantly reform criminal justice in the state. The new law will in part allow some persons convicted of certain crimes to expunge their records so they will be able to obtain employment and housing. The new statute also reduces penalties for common minor marijuana and underage drinking offenses.
The new Ohio law also creates a “Tenth Amendment Center” division within the state attorney general’s office. That office will monitor federal laws, regulations, and executive orders for potential abuse or overreach of federal authority that the Tenth Amendment prohibits.