Steubenville Police

Attention getters: City police took a driver and his passenger into custody after an alleged shoplifting incident at Wal-Mart, Monday. Police said Joshua Sponaugle, 40, 3740 Orchard Ave, Weirton, was charged with possession of drugs and served with a felony warrant out of Stark County, and his passenger, Demetria Yost, 45, 1784 Hardens Run Road, New Cumberland, was charged with petit theft. Employees at Wal-Mart alleged Yost “loaded a large black bag with merchandise and fled the store without paying for it,” and police said when they were taken into custody with a bag containing what employees said was “well over $300” in merchandise was recovered from the rear of the orange Jeep Wrangler the two of them were riding in. Police also reported finding shards of a substance believed to be methamphetamine on the passenger seat, as well as scales with a white powder residue and numerous baggies. A small cloth bag that allegedly contained drugs and needles was recovered from the glove compartment, police said.

Drugs charged: A Belmont County man was booked into the Jefferson County jail after a traffic stop on Adams at Fifth streets, Tuesday. Police said Bryce Farabee of Barnesville was charged with two counts of possessing drugs. Farabee, 23, initially told police he was in town visiting a girlfriend whose last name he didn’t know. Police said they found an orange pill as well as orange dust believed to be suboxone in a bookbag Farabee claimed ownership of, and a bag containing a substance believed to be fentanyl was found in his sock.

Facing charges: Police said a city resident who allegedly tried to leave Wal-Mart with several hundred dollars in merchandise he hadn’t paid for had an outstanding warrant for the same offense, Monday. Maurice R. Watkins, 38, 709 Rosswell Ave., Steubenville, was charged with misdemeanor theft after he allegedly tried to walk out of the store without paying for $246 in household goods in his possession. Police said Watkins also was wanted on a theft warrant issued after an Oct. 10 shoplifting incident at Wal-Mart.

Dog walking: A caller reported a dog was able to get out an open window and walk on a porch roof in the 1200 block of Ridge Avenue, Monday. The resident told police her kids left the window open and she would make sure it stays closed.

Mouthy kids: A resident in the 500 block of Lincoln Boulevard said juveniles “began swearing at her and throwing items at her” when she asked them to get off her trampoline, Monday. Police said they would tell the kids to stay away from her residence but when they located them, the kids took off running into the woods on Woodland Avenue.

No proof found: A caller in the 1400 block of Oregon Avenue reported hearing three gunshots, but police said when they went to the resident’s door no one answered, Monday. Police said they couldn’t locate evidence guns had been fired, and several people they spoke to said they hadn’t heard any shots.

Booked: Dustin A. Hill, 23, Steubenville, falsification and a bench warrant out of Municipal Court, Tuesday. Police allege Hill gave them a name and date of birth that turned out not to be his. Police said when they grew suspicious because he couldn’t provide them with a Social Security number and claimed he didn’t have a middle name and became confrontational, telling them “I don’t have any drugs on me, you can search me.” Police said they found a pill bottle in his pocket with his real name on it.

Fired up: A Pennsylvania Avenue resident said someone set his city-issued trash can on fire, Tuesday. Police said the can was “melted and destroyed.”

Cited: Jacqueline Mallory, 60, 491 Lovers Lane, Apt. 22, Steubenville, expired registration.