Yesterday afternoon, an armed carjacking at Easton Town Center led to a police manhunt for multiple suspects, as reported by NBC4i. At around 3:06 p.m., officers encountered four individuals in a stolen vehicle near the shopping center, and these suspects fled behind the Crate & Barrel store. Columbus police stated that the group, one of them armed, subsequently carjacked another vehicle.
NBC4i detailed how the second stolen car was located approximately 12 minutes away, near Morse Road and Heaton Road. Officers were able to detain at least one suspect by 4:30 p.m., but the search for the remaining three continued. The situation was complicated by the suspects splitting up, and police were trying to contain the group's spread while also preventing further incidents. No injuries have been reported in connection with the carjacking, as noted by WBNS.
One of the suspects, whose age has not been disclosed, is reported to be a juvenile. Easton Management confirmed through a statement to ABC6 that "Easton security camera systems detected a stolen vehicle that CPD had in its database, activating law enforcement action." Easton Town Center's security measures played a significant role in notifying authorities of the theft and aiding them promptly arriving at the scene.
The incident has prompted a coordinated response from Easton Public Safety, offering support to the Columbus Police Department (CPD) in the ongoing investigation. "Easton Public Safety is working to support CPD in its investigation of this incident," according to abc6 news, communicated by Easton Management. While this kind of active partnership between local security and police is vital, it also underscores the challenges impacting even the seemingly safe commercial havens in our communities. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the three remaining suspects is encouraged to contact the Columbus Police.
