Armed couple's action leads to capture of suspects in larger burglary operation

Law enforcement officers Wednesday continued praising the efforts of an armed couple, who stopped a burglary at their home Tuesday, as a search of a New Philadelphia suspect’s residence revealed a huge amount of evidence from past burglaries.

“They broke the case,” said Detective Jeff Moore of the Tuscarawas County Sheriff Department, referring to the Roswell area couple who held Thomas Ritchie, 30, of New Philadelphia and William Allison II, 25, of Massillon at gunpoint until sheriff’s deputies arrived.

“They broke the case for numerous detectives who are all smiling at this point in time,” Moore said as he participated in a search of Ritchie’s residence at 709 Hance Ave. NW.

Moore said evidence gathered Wednesday from the residence represents possibly 20 to 30 burglaries in Tuscarawas and surrounding counties.

Representatives from Stark, Carroll, Harrison and Holmes counties and Magnolia Police Department assisted in the search.

A 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, stolen last September in Carroll County, was found in the backyard of the residence where Ritchie has resided for two years. Also recovered Wednesday was a three-point hitch trailer stolen from Portage County and a World War II era Mauser rifle, believed stolen from a Magnolia residence.

The pickup truck, which had been hidden behind a fence, was damaged and hadn’t been used for some time.

“He crashed it several months ago, and it has been sitting there ever since,” Moore said.

Other items seized included tools believed stolen from multiple burglaries in Stark County and jewelry from Harrison County.

Moore said the items included some from very recent burglaries to others dating to last September and October. But the majority of the items recovered Wednesday, he added, are “from burglaries within the past week to two weeks.”

Moore said two counts of burglary are to be filed today against both men. He added that their case will be presented to the grand jury for other charges.

The burglary spree, that included two Rt. 39 NE, Roswell, area residences on Tuesday, came to a halt at about 11:30 a.m. when the wife of the man who was holding Ritchie at gunpoint called deputies to their residence.

Deputy Randy Yoder arrived shortly to find the suspects claiming that they were fence salesmen.

Yoder obtained consent to search their van and found televisions, computers and several weapons inside.

Moore explained later Tuesday that the two suspects were using the ruse of selling fence and would knock on the door. If nobody answered, they would kick it in. If someone answered, they would say that they sold fence, and they even had fliers.

Moore said Wednesday that Ritchie and Allison had worked for a fence company at one time and had become friends.

"Tell them that you are holding a dangerous criminal and that you fear for your life. That you will only put your gun down when you feel they have the situation under control."

One of my buddies was in that situation six months ago...Daytime burglary while he was asleep. As they pried on the door, he kick it out knocking one off the porch and then he fired a shotgun in the air with a few choice words for them to lay on the ground.

He got the cops out, but they would not drawn on the actors and he had a face off with the officers about who was in control and who Should be in control (cops). Finally the cops drew on the actors and then searched them, finding a handgun on one. The cops thanked my buddy for possibly saving their butts, and his.

When I first was married and moved in with my wife about 25 years ago (it seems like yesterday honey), we lived in a bad part of town. I was in the back yard with a six foot pioneer fence totally surrounding the back and side yard of an end unit townhouse.

It was pitch dark and I was meditating in the lotus position with a wooden samurai sword across my lap and a stainless steel 357magnum revolver. It was totally peaceful until a person with bad judgement decided to come over the fence to check out my townhouse. I heard him tell someone on the other side of the fence that he was going to check that place out.

Well, I met him halfway. In a very calm voice I said, “sir I suggest you leave”. He decided to leave. Well that ended the meditation. When I got inside I was shaking and called the police. They did not show up for over an hour. I really wanted them to arrive and be there for awhile so that the neighborhood grapevine would pass the word. I called them several times and asked them where they were. I finally got so mad I called once more and stated that I had a 357 magnum which was fully loaded and that if the attempted perpetrator came back I would have reason to fear for my life and that of my wife. I also told the cops that I would not hesitate to defend myself. They told me not to do anything stupid. They were at my door in less than one minute. My opinion is that they were waiting just up the street. They did not care about what I was going through until I told them that I was going to defend myself. Can’t have that. Of course, I hid the gun as soon as I saw them.

If I actually had someone in custody, that would be a real challenge. It could be very dangerous to put down my firearm until the police had control.

The story was poorly written and did not give great detail about the incident. But according to someone who commented on the Cantonrep site: "The couple were alerted when they watched them via a security camera try to open their overhead garage door and then try to smash thru the man door. Let's just hope the courts do their job now."

I believe the couple did the right thing by not going off half cocked; they were not afraid and they were in control.

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