A Cuyahoga County man has been convicted by a Summit County Common Pleas Court jury of stealing a pick-up truck and trailers from Springfield Township, and two motorcycles from a motorcycle shop in Norton.

Charles Austin, 25, of Northfield Road in Highland Hills was found guilty of two counts of Grand Theft, two counts of Receiving Stolen Property, and counts of Breaking and Entering, and Vandalism.

On September 11, Austin and an accomplice, Brian Collins, 22, of Harvard Avenue in Highland Hills, were picked up in Cleveland by a friend driving a stolen van. The three men drove to the Kohl’s in Springfield Township where they stole the truck and trailer. They then all drove to Joe’s Hawg Shop in Norton. After stealing the motorcycles and loading them into the stolen pickup, the three men headed back to Cleveland. As they were driving to Cleveland, the truck was reported stolen. Police were able to locate the truck using the GPS in the vehicle. After an hour-long car chase, Austin and Collins were apprehended.

The third man was able to escape on foot.

Collins pleaded guilty to Receiving Stolen Property in December.

Judge Tom Parker will sentence Austin on February 28th. 

Two men were arrested after leading police on an hour long chase in a stolen pick-up truck.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports that the hour long chase across three Northeast Ohio counties happened Sunday night when Ohio State Highway Patrol spotted the 2005 Ford F-250 pickup truck on Everhard Road in Belden Village.

The truck was reported stolen from an Arlington Road business in Springfield Township.

As the pursuit began, the driver traveled on Interstate 77 North and sideswiped an SUV driven by an 18-year-old Lakewood woman. The chase continued on Interstate 271 and ended into Cuyahoga County.

The driver and passenger stopped the vehicle and fled on foot where they were arrested a short time later.

Charles A. E. Austin, 25, and Brian A. Collins, 22, of Highland Hills were charged with five counts each of receiving stolen property and one count of obstructing official business.

They were booked into the Stark County jail.

Police agencies from Stark, Summit and Cuyahoga counties helped with the chase. No one was injured during the chase.

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