Akron police are asking the public to help identify a group of suspects accused of stealing a vehicle and using it to break into three separate businesses in a single night. The break-ins happened on July 16, and investigators say surveillance footage captured the suspects both taking the car and hitting each of the three locations.
According to Akron Police Department, the pictured suspects stole a vehicle and then used it to drive to three businesses, stealing from each one that night. The department has assigned the case a cluster of numbers — #26-83943, 26-83954, 26-84003, and 26-840310 — a method Summit County Crime Watch describes as how detectives cross-reference evidence and track multiple business break-in scenes tied to a single crime spree, per a post on Summit County Crime Watch. Attached evidence in the case appears to have been recorded on July 16, based on timestamp data.
One identifying detail stands out in the released images: one of the suspects appears to be wearing a Nightmare Before Christmas sweatshirt featuring Jack Skellington, according to the department's post. Akron police have not released additional descriptions of the other suspects pictured.
How to Report a Tip Without Exposing Yourself
Akron police are directing anyone with information to several channels rather than public comment sections. Citizens can text tips to 274637 using the keyword TIPSCO, a method that relies on the tips411 platform allowing anonymous submissions by text. The department also accepts anonymous information by phone at 330-375-2TIP, and Summit County Crimestoppers takes tips at 330-434-COPS.
Those who prefer to work with an investigator directly can reach Akron Police Detective Tassiello by phone at 330-375-2464 or by email at [email protected]. The department's site, akroncops.org, also provides an information submission link, and the Akron PD app allows citizens to submit tips directly from a phone.
Akron police have explicitly warned social media users against posting suspect names or other identifying information in public comments, instead instructing tipsters to send details privately via inbox or through the official channels listed above — guidance the department has repeated in past cases, according to a separate Akron Police Department Facebook post. That guidance is meant to protect tipsters and prevent vigilante activity while the investigation continues.
A Familiar Pattern for Local Detectives
Multi-site commercial burglaries aren't new to Akron. In March 2026, police sought public help identifying two suspects caught on camera stealing equipment after they failed to break into a local business, as reported by Cleveland 19 News. And in July, the department asked for help identifying a suspect accused of stealing a bag containing a firearm from a shopping cart at a Marc's store on East Waterloo Road.
Anonymous tips that lead to an arrest and indictment in local felony cases can also come with a financial incentive: Summit County Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $5,000, according to National Jeweler. Business owners who experience property theft or damage can also file non-emergency reports directly through the City of Akron's online Web Report Portal.
What the Suspects Could Be Charged With
Under Ohio law, the alleged conduct described by police could carry significant felony exposure if suspects are identified and charged. Stealing a motor vehicle in Ohio is classified as Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle under Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.02, a fourth-degree felony carrying six to 18 months in prison and fines up to $5,000, regardless of the car's value, according to McNamee Law LLC.
Trespassing into an unoccupied structure with intent to steal is separately classified as Breaking and Entering under Ohio Revised Code Section 2911.13, a fifth-degree felony punishable by six to 12 months in prison and fines up to $2,500 per count, per Jay Perez Law. With three separate businesses allegedly hit in one night, the suspects could theoretically face multiple counts under that statute in addition to the vehicle theft charge. No arrests or charges have been announced as of this report, and the identities of the businesses involved and the value of any property taken have not been released.
The case adds to a string of recent Akron property crimes that have relied on public tips to move forward, following Hoodline's coverage of the Kenmore scrap thief hunt earlier this month. Anyone with information on the July 16 break-ins is urged to come forward through one of the department's confidential channels rather than public social media posts.
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