MECHANICSBURG — Village togetherness -- and a little help from a tattoo that became a map -- helped lead to the arrest of a man wanted in Mechanicsburg for a series of car thefts and break-ins.
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Mechanicsburg police and several other law enforcement agencies arrested Tristen Metzger, 24, in Columbus on Wednesday.
He’s being detained in the Franklin County Jail these days on charges of stolen property, forgery, possession of criminal tools and identity fraud in Champaign County. He’s also wanted on numerous charges in several other Ohio counties as well as out of state.
Mechanicsburg police said they believe Metzger broke into several vehicles. He’s also suspected of stealing three vehicles, a firearm, credit cards and checks.
“He (Metzger) had distinctive tattoos with the area code 614 on his arm, which everyone knows is Columbus,” Max Jordan, one of the victims, told News Center 7′s Haley Kosik. Jordan learned from a neighbor that Metzger was recorded by security camera stealing as many as three cars Aug. 25.
The video helped police identify Metzger as their suspect.
Mechanicsburg Police Chief David Patrick told News Center 7 that Metzger was found hiding at a friend’s house in Columbus after police said he took advantage of the small Champaign County community.
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Jordan said, “These guys are thinking, ‘hey, we’ll come to a small village, we can get what we want, go back the big city, trade it off, sell it, do whatever.”
Jordan said people don’t know whether to feel violated.
“You work hard for what you have and then for someone to take it, you’re kind of like, ‘hey, what’d I do?’ ‘”
Metzger also had the name “Taylor” above his left eye, which also helped other law enforcement agencies keep an eye out for him. Investigators said Metzger was spotted at the Kroger in Marysville on Aug. 27 -- in a car police suspect he stole.
“These guys need to learn that the small villages are the ones that actually stick together and do what we do,” Jordan said.
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