'More than $2,000 of charges': Police seek boys who went on shopping spree Christmas week

Galion Police are searching for the people who stole a cell phone and wallet and then "racked up more than $2,000 of charges" on the victim's credit card.

The theft took place Dec. 21 at the Galion Area YMCA, according to police records.

The robbery was reported by a woman at about 8 p.m. that night, a Thursday, according to John Wallis, the Galion officer who is investigating the case.

"She told me that she had attended a basketball game at the YMCA and had accidentally left her phone sitting on the bleachers," Wallis wrote in his report.

Attached to that phone's case were the victim's identification, credit card, debit card, health-savings card, and other financial cards.

Stolen credit card was used at a grocery store

Wallis and the victim used software to track the stolen items.

"We found that the phone was not moving in the area of North Walnut and Norton Way in Bucyrus," Wallis wrote in his report. "I made a request with the Bucyrus Police Department to go check the area to attempt to locate the phone."

Bucyrus officers found the phone, but reported the victim's identification and financial cards were all missing.

The victim received notifications that at least one of the credit cards had been used.

"The cards were used at the Kroger in Bucyrus and had racked up more than $2,000 of charges," Wallis wrote in his report.

Surveillance video offers a few clues about the suspects

The police officer used YMCA surveillance camera video from the evening of the robbery to isolate four suspects.

Wallis reported that four boys, "roughly around the ages of 15-17 years old," could be seen on video picking up the phone and then walking outside to a vehicle.

"The boys were walking around with their hoods up, making it nearly impossible to get a good still (picture) of the suspects' faces," Wallis wrote.

Their vehicle was a dark-colored, 4-door sedan, but the officer reported that "the camera footage was too dark to make out any details or obtain a license plate number."

Officers are still searching for the thieves

The suspects face felony charges in the theft.

During his investigation, Wallis discovered the names of the thieves, but he believes those may be fictitious aliases.

The officer said the theft is still under investigation.

"I am still following up with other leads to try to locate and identify those responsible," Wallis told the News Journal. "They are not from the area... but I am still trying."

Anyone who has information about the theft is asked to call the Galion Police Department's non-emergency line at 419-468-9111.

ztuggle@gannett.com

419-564-3508

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Boys stole phone and wallet from a YMCA then racked up credit charges