Tip leads police to stolen carnival ride from Moraine business as search for thief continues – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

Moraine – Update @ 10:30 PM: Moraine police, acting on a tip, found a carnival ride stolen from a Moraine business Sunday night.

Police are still looking for a suspect — and are looking into two other reports of thefts from Monday involving the same truck that he stole from the carnival rides, worth an estimated $60,000, Sgt. Andrew Parrish told NewsCenter 7’s Molly Koweek on Tuesday night.

>> Semitrailer traveling north on I-75 in Dayton, crashed at exit

Police found the carnival ride in a parking lot at Xenia and Bowen, Sgt. Parrish said. He and a $4,000 Toro Zero mower were stolen from the Mandalay Banquet and Event Center in Moraine. The mower is the centerpiece of the party.

“We feel responsible for anything that gets stolen from our property, even if it’s not ours,” Matt McConnell, owner of the party center, told Kowic. “We’re so glad the ride is here and we hope you can find the people who made it happen.”

Other theft reports from Monday included two box trucks missing from Watson on Dryden Road and multiple vandalisms at Orbit.

Sgt. Parrish said those two incidents may be connected and police have identified persons of interest in both cases, but are still working to identify who stole the mower and the carnival ride.

“I’ve seen a lot in 20-plus years,” he said. “People steal anything.”

First reportSurveillance footage shows the moment a carnival ride was stolen from a banquet hall in Moraine.

Video from a Mandalay party center shows the truck pulling up Sunday night.

A man got out of his truck and pulled up in the parking lot, attaching a carnival ride.

>> A historic Preble County covered bridge is closed after half of it is damaged.

The same truck was seen again on Monday morning. The suspect gets out of the truck and looks at the golf carts on the property.

According to authorities, the suspect allegedly took a Zero mower.

According to a police report, a man who worked at the entertainment center reported a white and tan Chevrolet Silverado entered the lot and stole a carnival ride parked on the west side of the building just before 8 a.m. Sunday.

>> Driver flees after rear-ending cruiser, leading officers on multi-county chase

The employee told police the carnival ride, described as a “rocket ship carnival ride,” was attached to a trailer waiting to be picked up by rental company Bluegrass Rides and Inflatables.

Police spoke to a man who said he worked at Bluegrass Rides and Inflatables and estimated the cost of the ride at about $60,000.

Moraine police said they later located the carnival ride in Dayton. The mower was not found.

Police have not identified a suspect or taken them into custody.

We’ll update this story as we learn more.

©2022 Cox Media Group