Brook Park, Berea teens arrested after causing trouble at Berea Giant Eagle

BEREA, Ohio – A 17-year-old Brook Park boy and two 16-year-old Berea boys were arrested and banned from Giant Eagle, 50 West Bridge Street, after causing a disturbance in and around the store on October 9.

A Giant Eagle employee called police around 5:30 p.m. and said two boys – one of whom was later identified as the Brook Park boy – were employees of a video recording store and were hanging out near the wine aisle. They asked the boys to leave but they refused.

When police arrived, the Brook Park boy was still there but his friend had run away. When the police asked the boy his name, he replied: “What crime am I suspected of committing?” »

Police told the boy his behavior inside the store was considered disorderly conduct. Additionally, he refused to leave the store when asked.

Store employees asked police if they could force the boy to delete the videos he had recorded. The police said they couldn’t.

Police told the boy that if he ever returned to Giant Eagle, he would be arrested. He started walking away from the store.

Then the boy turned around and walked towards the police. He said a police sergeant told him police had to provide a written prohibition notice. Police said they did not have to do this. The boy walked away.

Around 7:30 p.m., police were called to Giant Eagle again. The Brook Park boy had returned with another boy who had already been banned from Giant Eagle by a store security guard.

Workers at Giant Eagle told police they thought the two boys were shoplifting. They said the boys left the store and headed toward Cleveland Metroparks, in an area where teens were known to hang out.

The police walked a dark path through the woods and toward the meeting place. They saw cell phone lights and heard boys talking ahead of them on the trail.

The three boys, unaware of the police presence, began walking towards the police. One of the boys was identified as a 16-year-old Berea boy. He tried to run past the police, but they arrested him. He and the other boys smelled of marijuana.

Then police found the Brook Park boy, 17, a second Berea boy, 16, and a Strongsville girl, 16, at the meeting location. They began arguing with police, who noticed two large bottles of Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix on the ground next to a fire.

The 17-year-old appeared to be intoxicated. His speech was slurred and his eyes were glassy. After a long argument with the police, he fled. The police did not pursue him but informed the other officers that he had left the scene.

Police collected the contact details of all the minors’ parents, except for the second 16-year-old boy, who refused to cooperate. He admitted he had been to Giant Eagle twice earlier in the day with the 17-year-old. However, he denied stealing anything.

Police then found a backpack containing three more bottles of Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix, as well as some homework belonging to the second 16-year-old boy, the one who had been at Giant Eagle earlier.

Meanwhile, the 17-year-old returned to the meeting place. He began arguing with police again, and his combative behavior prompted Berea’s two 16-year-old boys to do the same.

Police arrested the 17-year-old and placed him in the back seat of a police car. They told the two 16-year-olds they were free to leave.

However, the two 16-year-olds continued to argue with the police and positioned themselves near the officers. One of them told police: “You think you’re tough? Police arrested them both for obstructing official activities.