News writer
A distinctive limp helped lead police to the arrest of an Ohio man accused of breaking into an Ohio Lottery vending machine inside a convenience store.
The break-in
Around 5:11 a.m. on March 9, 2024, police officers responded to a report of a theft at a Circle K, located at 5065 S. Walnut Street in South Bloomfield, according to the South Bloomfield Police Department.
Officers talked with employees, who said that someone forcibly opened the Ohio Lottery vending machine and took the money that was inside. While the employee who was working the night shift didn't notice any signs of thefts, she did mention that a regular customer had been in and out of the store several times during her shift.
Officers inspected the scene and confirmed that the vending machine had been pried open, though the lock remained in place. The cash box inside the vending machine was empty, officers said.
The investigation
Investigators were able to review the security footage with the assistance of the store manager. It showed a white male with a noticeable limp entering the store through the rear entrance around 4:04 a.m.
In the footage, the suspect can be seen heading to the bathroom and then going to the lottery machine. After interacting with the vending machine, the man can be seen buying a lottery ticket and then leaving the store.
On March 11, 2024, officers reviewed the security footage again, this time identifying the suspect as Jeffrey Lee Stanley. The footage matched Stanley's distinctive limp and confirmed his presence at the time of the theft, authorities said.
The arrest
Stanley was scheduled to appear in court for the theft charges. However, he failed to attend the hearing, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On July 29, 2024, Stanley was arrested by the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office on an outstanding warrant, authorities said.
He was charged with safecracking, theft, and warrant charges and booked into the Pickaway County Jail, officials said.
Some big Ohio Lottery wins
While Stanley was caught stealing from the Ohio Lottery, other players had some luck playing the lottery and may have even used one of those vending machines to purchase their winning tickets!
One recent winner was celebrating after winning $100,000 playing the scratch-off game Mega Multiplier. The winning ticket was purchased at Marion Drive Thru and Besta Fasta Pizza, located at 289 Marion Ave. in Mansfield.
After withholding the mandatory state and federal taxes totaling 28 percent, the lucky winner will take home approximately $72,000.
Mega Multiplier is a $10 scratch-off game with a top prize of $500,000 from the Ohio Lottery. After this lucky player's win, lottery officials said they have two top prizes remaining in Mega Multiplier, as well as other great prizes.
Another lucky player won big playing Powerball, as they won $150,000 in the Monday, July 29, drawing. The winning white ball numbers for that drawing were 11, 27, 30, 33, and 44, with a Powerball number of 16. The Power Play was 3.
The winning ticket used the auto pick option to select their numbers and they matched four of the five white ball numbers plus the Powerball to win $50,000. They also chose the Power Play option, so it tripled the winnings to $150,000.
The lucky winner purchased the winning ticket at Glenway Pony Keg, located at 4931 Glenway Avenue in Cincinnati.
There were no jackpot winners for that July 29 drawing, so the Powerball jackpot for the Wednesday, July 31, drawing is an estimated $154 million.
Enjoy playing the Ohio Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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