East Liverpool teens arrested for Hancock County vehicle break-ins

CHESTER -- West Virginia law enforcement arrested three East Liverpool teens early Monday morning in connection with a string of vehicle break-ins throughout Chester and Newell over the weekend.

Chester Police Chief Chuck Stanley identified one of the defendants as Jamar Hester, Jr., 19, of Dresden Avenue in East Liverpool, while acknowledging Hester had two underage accomplices who were taken into custody by the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.

According to a HCSO social media press release, a Chester resident in the 100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue had spotted the three subjects, who were dressed in all black, breaking into a vehicle Monday morning and confronted them.

As a result, they fled on foot south toward Newell, where there had been a rash of vehicle break-ins earlier that weekend.

Chester police Patrolman Mike Campbell observed these suspects and instructed them to stop, but they fled into a wooded area near Metsch Refractories.

After Campbell apprehended Hester on Ferry Road, the other two juvenile males continued fleeing and eventually were located in a wooded area by deputies.

Hancock County K9 officer Gage and handler Sgt. Hugh Tate located the two suspects, lying in the woods where one male was taken into custody by Deputy Christopher Oaks and the other was taken into custody by Deputy Caleb Minger.

All three subjects were transported to the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.

While conducting the investigation, the sheriff's office identified the three subjects as the same ones who broke into the cars early Saturday morning in Newell, the press release stated.

The HCSO spokeswoman declined to provide any additional information at this time, stating that the case was still under investigation.

According to Chief Stanley, the two juveniles have been released to the custody of their parents.

In addition to two counts for entry in the motor vehicles and fleeing from law enforcement in Chester, Stanley expects more charges to be filed as additional victims come forward. The juvenile petitions are forthcoming.