TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) – Crime has been on the rise in metro Toledo, and police want to do something about it.
On Wednesday, a man turned a Laundromat upside down in his attempt to steal the change from the machines. Edmond Ballard got $75 from the washing machines at the Oregon Arms apartment complex. He was arrested on Thursday.
The BP gas station on Buck Rd. in Rossford was robbed twice in 8 days, and police say they think it could be the same suspect. A Monroe Sunoco station was held up by an armed man on Monday.
Oregon residents have reported multiple car break-ins. The criminals left behind Tootsie Roll wrappers.
There have been three bank robberies in just two days. On Thursday morning, a woman robbed the Charter One on W. Alexis Rd. Later that day, police were called to the Huntington Bank on Central and McCord. The Bank of America in Monroe was robbed Wednesday.
Police Chief Mike Navarre says that no crime surprises him anymore, and he thinks drugs are to blame:
"They will go to a bank, knowing that there are surveillance cameras. They will break into their neighbor's house. They will go down the street and they will try to get as many coins out of as many cars as they possibly can just to get 5 or ten dollars to buy a little rock of cocaine."
Navarre says that the only thing that might slow criminals down is a zero degree night or a blinding snowstorm, and we haven't had either in the area so far.
Copyright 2012 WTOL. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and Toledo News Now, a Raycom Media Station. 
