BATH TOWNSHIP, Ohio — What began as a shoplifting case at Summit Mall turned into a pursuit involving Fairlawn and Copley police and a search by foot and drone in Bath Township late Monday afternoon.
Around 5:45 p.m., surveillance video captured a stranger on Travis Singer's deck.
"He was very disheveled, sweaty, covered in burrs with his feet in socks," Singer said.
Singer said it was clear the man had emerged from the nearby woods, and during the strange encounter, he asked for a ride to a gas station. "He said, 'Well, could you give me a ride?' I said, 'No, I apologize. I don't know you. I'm not going to put you in my car.'"
The man then left, walking down Singer's driveway after taking off his shirt.
"About five minutes later, we come to discover there's a manhunt behind our house, and obviously, this was connected," Singer said.
Bath police and four other agencies had converged on the area, looking for 23-year-old Mason Loar from Stark County.
The search lasted for three hours, but investigators said Loar still remains at large, and they are asking for help from the public, urging anyone who has seen him to call police.
"We ask that anyone with information, if you see anything unusual or out of the ordinary, don't hesitate to call 911," Bath Township Police Chief Vito Sinopoli said.
Police said Loar and another man are wanted for felony theft, accused of stealing clothing from Macy's.
They were spotted, and a pursuit, mostly involving Copley police, led to a stop in Bath Township, where investigators said Loar jumped from the passenger seat and ran.
The driver was arrested and allegedly told police that Loar may have a gun, which led to the intense manhunt.
"I assume that he has other outstanding issues that he was trying to avoid being connected with," Singer said.
Singer said he never saw a gun during his interaction with Loar.
However, police said Loar has active warrants from three departments, including "weapons under disability" in North Canton, the Stark County Sheriff's Office and the Portage County Sheriff's Office.
Singer said he hopes Loar is captured so the community can rest easy.
"Ya know, just to resolve things for some people. They'd like to know that they got him," Singer said.
