CLEVELAND — Earlier this week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine enacted a new "surge initiative" aimed at helping Cleveland combat a recent rise in violent crimes.
On Thursday, we got our first look at the initiative in action, with the Ohio State Highway Patrol providing 3News with a video of local authorities using a helicopter to recover a stolen vehicle. You can watch the full video in the video player above.
According to OSHP, the incident took place at 1:11 p.m. this past Tuesday when Ohio Investigative Unit agents observed a suspicious vehicle -- a silver Kia Sportage with busted-out windows -- believed to possibly be stolen. Officers called the vehicle out to its aviation section for observation and the vehicle was seen running a stop sign at Abell Avenue near East 135th.
After troopers in a marked patrol car attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle fled. Troopers on the ground did not pursue, with the helicopter staying with the vehicle and observing the driver and passenger ditch the car and flee on foot.
The officer in the helicopter directed troopers and officers on the ground to where the suspects were last seen. When units arrived, the pair was taken into custody without additional incident.
The Cleveland Division of Police dispatch was able to contact the registered owner of the vehicle, who said she had just reported the vehicle stolen that morning. The driver of the stolen vehicle is now facing charges of receiving stolen property, a felony offense, as well as criminal damaging and fleeing.
First going into effect on Tuesday, the surge initiative combines the resources of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to target "known criminal hot spots." DeWine noted that similar surge initiatives took place in Cleveland in April and August of 2023.