Columbus police are still trying to identify a suspect who threatened an employee and walked out with stolen merchandise during a robbery at a business on the 1600 block of North High Street, right in the heart of the University District. The suspect entered the store around 7:30 a.m. on July 12, grabbed several items, threatened the employee, and left without paying, according to police.
The case was detailed by WSYX, which reported that Columbus police are working to identify the suspect accused of the robbery. Anyone with information about the crime or the suspect's identity is asked to contact Detective Becker, who works in the Columbus Police Robbery Unit, at (614) 645-5536.
Central Ohio Crime Stoppers is also collecting tips in the case. The organization accepts anonymous information by phone, through its website, and via the P3 Tips mobile app, according to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted at (614) 461-TIPS (8477), and tips resulting in the apprehension of a felony suspect may qualify for a cash reward, with the amount determined by the group's board.
What the Charge Could Mean
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2911.02, committing or attempting a theft while threatening physical harm or using force constitutes robbery — a felony of the second or third degree that carries between one and eight years in prison upon conviction, per the Skip Potter Law Office. If investigators were to determine that a deadly weapon was displayed, brandished, or its possession indicated, or that serious physical harm was inflicted or attempted, the charge could escalate under Ohio Revised Code Section 2911.01 to aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, as described by Watson Kuhlman LLC. A first-degree felony carries three to ten years in prison and fines up to $20,000, according to Skip Potter Law Office.
A Familiar Stretch of High Street
The 1600 block of North High Street is near the University Gateway Project, which includes businesses near High Street, as described by The Lantern. It's a stretch of Columbus that has seen this kind of trouble before. Hoodline previously reported on an armed suspect who displayed a firearm and caused a disturbance inside a business on the adjacent 1500 block of North High Street in September 2025.
Detective Becker works in the Columbus Police Robbery Unit and is the contact for the July case.
Crime Trends in Columbus
Major Part 1 crimes citywide totaled 678 from January 1 through July 15, 2026, a 33 percent drop from 1,010 during the same period in 2025, per CNAW2News.
With the July 12 robbery now more than two months old and public appeals only recently issued, investigators are leaning on tips from the community and Central Ohio Crime Stoppers' anonymous reporting system to help identify the suspect.
