Others believed to be still on the loose
A police pursuit that began in Plain City ended with five individuals in custody and others possibly still at large.
Plain City Police Chief Dale McKee said the incident began with a suspicious person call at around 4 a.m. this morning.
He said an officer responded to the report and located a silver 2017 Ford Explorer stolen out of Dublin. When the officer arrived, McKee said an unknown number of individuals “took off running” from the vehicle, while two were immediately apprehended and taken into custody.
Following a search of the area, PCPD Lieutenant Tom Jaskiewicz said two other suspects who were on foot were apprehended.
Around the same time, Jaskiewicz said an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter overhead reported two suspects getting into a stolen, black 2016 Jeep Cherokee on Lantern Lane.
The suspects in that vehicle then led the law enforcement officials on a pursuit out of Plain City, east into Franklin County.
According to a statement from PCPD, an “exhaustive search” was conducted, including the OHSP police helicopter and PCPD K9 teams. The Union County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with the pursuit.
McKee said the pursuit lasted approximately 30 minutes before PCPD called it off at the Franklin County line.
From that point, Jaskiewicz said the OSHP helicopter followed the second stolen vehicle to an address in Columbus where one more suspect was taken into custody.
As of 9 a.m. Thursday, McKee said five suspects had been taken into custody.
Jaskiewicz said officials are unsure how many suspects were involved in the pursuit, due to “conflicting information” from those in custody.
He said some suspects have said only four individuals were involved, while others have said “as many as seven.”
Based on the helicopter report that two individuals were in the second vehicle, which was using heat seeking technology to track the suspects, Jasckiewicz said it appears as though “there was probably another (suspect)… that may have been (in Plain City),” aside from the five in custody.
McKee said those in custody include three adults and two juveniles.
Mohamed Conde, 20, of Columbus was charged with receiving stolen property. Kaveontae A. Bowens, 19, of Columbus was charged with receiving stolen property and obstruction of official business, for providing officials with false information. Tayvion Taylor, 18, of Bexley was charged with failure to comply.
All three have been transported to the Tri-County Regional Jail.
Of the two juveniles who were involved in the incident, McKee said there was a 15- and 17-year-old.
Jaskiewicz said the 17-year-old was transported to the Central Ohio Youth Center and has been charged with receiving stolen property.
The 15-year-old, whose charges are still pending, was picked up by a parent.
He said each suspect may face additional charges following further investigation.
McKee said no individuals were injured and he was not aware of any property damage that occurred during the pursuit.