CLEVELAND — On Thursday night, members of the Cleveland Division of Police were honored at the Second District Community Relations Awards Ceremony. Among them was one officer credited with helping combat the rash of Kia and Hyundai thefts plaguing Cleveland, and in particular, the division's Second District.
The Second District spans Ohio City, Tremont, Old Brooklyn, and other neighborhoods. According to data shared at the awards ceremony, the district was seeing up to 16 car thefts in a single day at times. Additionally, by February 2023, the Second District saw a 255% increase in car thefts year over year.
Here's how the car thefts escalated in the Second District:
- June 2022 - 57
- July 2022 - 87
- Aug. 2022 - 88
- Sept. 2022 - 129
- Oct. 2022 - 164
- Nov. 2022 - 173
- Dec. 2022 - 223
- Jan. 2023 - 210
- Feb. 2023 - 111
- March 2023 - 131
- April 2023 - 114
- May 2023 - 107
- June 2023 - 172
However, CDP Patrol Officer Riccardo Holt-Santiago has been credited with helping combat the car thefts, making an important arrest of a juvenile linked to dozens of thefts.
“Officer Holt-Santiago took it upon himself to investigate these,” said CDP Second District Lt. Stephen Beckner. “He learned these skills as he was going through, and he was able to get justice for a lot of the community members that might not have otherwise received it.”
“We searched whole neighbors, scoured neighborhoods for camera footage, and from there it led to other investigative leads which allowed us to put it together,” said Holt-Santiago.
At the awards ceremony, presenter Mike O’Mara said in his remarks that Holt-Santiago analyzed crime data using “intelligence-led policing,” and canvassed and spoke to victims and witnesses.
“He was ultimately able to link this one juvenile to at least 30 stolen autos,” said O’Mara in his remarks.
Lt. Beckner said Holt-Santiago identified crime rings and individuals who were responsible for many of the car thefts in the district and Cleveland. Many of those responsible individuals were juveniles.
“This was the easiest award of all of the ones that we gave out,” Lt. Beckner said. “The effort that he put was above and beyond his normal tasks and duties.”
O’Mara went on to say that after the arrest of one particular juvenile, the Second District saw a decrease in auto thefts, as well as associated arrests and evidence found, including a male linked to a homicide, and the recovery of a stolen firearm.
“I feel accomplished. It makes it worth it,” said Holt-Santiago, adding that this was the work of his team.