Strongsville Police Blotter: 'Sweepstakes' Winner Told to Collect His Cash at Walmart

A Christopher Court resident got a call on his cell phone Jan. 10 with good news: He'd won $250,000 in the Publishers' Clearing House sweepstakes.

All he had to do to claim the prize was go to , pick up a receipt from Western Union and pay a small shipping fee.

The resident was, in fact, lucky -- he was smart enough to hang up. He told police the man, who had an accent and blocked his phone number, called back and left a message saying he would lose his job if the prize wasn't claimed.

In other police news:

• An Autumn Court resident's car was damaged when it was struck my another vehicle. Not so unusual? It was parked in the garage at the time.

A report said someone drove into the garage door, damaging the garage door and the rear bumper of the car parked inside. The crime was reported at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 11. Police have no suspects.

• A man pacing in front of a house on Drake Road about 7 p.m. Jan. 13 raised suspicion. A caller said the man was dressed in dark clothing and singing as he paced.

Police tracked down the man, who said he was visiting his grandparents and was going outside to smoke.

• A burglary was reported Jan. 11 at a Scenic Pointe home. Police said a downstairs window was broken.

• A driver on Pearl Road at Royalton Road told police Jan. 13 that a woman in a white Honda was following him. Police spoke with the Honda driver, who said she was upset because the man had accidentally cut her off. 

She was advised that following the vehicle and yelling at the driver was perhaps not the proper way to handle the situation.

• A car drove through the front window of , 17664 Pearl Road, about 10:50 a.m. Jan. 13. Police said the driver, 52, was not injured and declined to go to the hospital. The window was broken, but the building was not structurally damaged, a report said.

• About 2,200 pounds of scrap brass and 250 pounds of scrap carbide tooling were stolen from a Foltz Parkway business Jan. 4. The company reported the theft, which totaled $8,265, Jan. 11.

• Neighbors became alarmed by a car parked on Academy Drive for more than an hour Jan. 12. Police found a man and a dog in the car. They were waiting while a real estate agent showed their house to a prospective buyer.

• A customer at the Strongsville , 15500 Pearl Road, became concerned about a man who appeared to be sleeping in his car in the handicapped space. Police woke the man, who said he had been listening to the radio before going into the post office and must have dozed off.

• A Camden Circle resident witnessed an apparent theft Jan. 11 when she saw two people take a snowblower from another yard and load it into a van. Police spoke with the homeowner, who said it was a lawnmower, and the two had permission to take it.