“Thief stole more than $20K in purses”

Posted: 21 Oct 2010 02:21 PM PDT

BATAVIA - Whoever stole more than $20,000 in designer purses from the Dillard's at Eastgate Mall hid his face from security cameras, but it was obvious the thief was one of the biggest smash-and-grab burglars ever seen, a prosecutor said.

Richard Deangelo North, who is 6-foot-9 and weighs 269 pounds, faces up to 50 years in prison if it can be proven he broke into the Clermont County store three times when it was closed at night, stole purses and committed related crimes.

North, 44, of Macey Avenue in Madisonville, pleaded not guilty Thursday before Judge William Walker of Common Pleas Court. He remains jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail.

"There are security camera videos showing whoever was doing the robberies is a very tall and large guy," said Daniel "Woody" Breyer, chief deputy prosecutor.

"He throws rocks through glass front doors or the windows by the front doors, runs in, grabs as much as he can carry and disappears - all in a minute or two," Breyer said.

Union Township police arrested North on Oct. 8 on a charge of driving with a suspended license, Detective Sgt. Scott Blankenship said.

He was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on 13 other charges, including three counts of grand theft and three counts of burglary.

A charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity was filed because "he's been breaking into stores and stealing purses for years and years - probably at least a decade," Breyer said.

North has previous convictions in Clermont County, Butler County, Hamilton County and Boone County, Breyer said.

North was convicted of breaking into the Dillard's in Eastgate at least twice in the past, Blankenship said.

It's suspected that North broke into Dillard's three times this year - twice in September, and once in June - to steal and sell purses by Coach, Dooney & Bourke and other designers, which can have retail values of hundreds of dollars apiece.

North is also charged with breaking into an Office Max on Eastgate Boulevard in 2006 and stealing televisions and other electronics valued at more than $500, Blankenship said. Security cameras showed a large man breaking in, but the case had gone unsolved until North was identified in the recent thefts.

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