Man accused of stealing from Lorain businesses

first court appearance.

Patton on Oct. 16 broke into Willoughby Supply Company on Griswald Road in Elyria and stole $3,000 worth of roofing material, police said.

Investigators believed Patton was a suspect in that theft, along with several others, according to police.

Undercover Elyria police officers posed as roofers and called Patton.

He agreed to sell the officers 20 rolls of winter Stormguard roofing material for $400. The material actually cost $1,365, according to police.

The officers on Thursday met with Patton at his home in Elyria. Patton drove with the officers to a garage in Lorain where he stored stolen items, police said.

Patton helped the officers load 21 rolls of the Stormguard into their car while telling them “in detail” how he broke into Willoughby Supply Company, according to police.

The officers paid him $100 and told Patton they’d pay the rest on Friday, police said.

Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Patton and met up with him again about 9:30 a.m. Friday, police said.

Patton told the officers he could sell them shingles stolen from an unidentified area business at a steep discount, according to police. The officers and Patton drove back to the Lorain garage and gave Patton $540, according to police.

Police said they believed Patton was going to steal the money without giving the officers the stolen items.

Lorain and Elyria police arrested Patton as he walked away from the officers on 14th Street near Oberlin in Lorain, police said.