A Chillicothe man was arrested Sunday morning after police say he stole two cell phones from a customer inside McDonald’s on North Bridge Street.
According to the Chillicothe Police Department, officers were dispatched to 40 N. Bridge Street around 9 a.m. on May 18 in reference to a theft complaint.
Police said the victim had left two iPhones charging near the restaurant bathrooms while using the restroom. When the victim returned, both phones were missing, though the charger remained in place.
Investigators reviewed store surveillance footage which reportedly showed a white male suspect taking the phones from the charging area before leaving the restaurant with them. The suspect was described as wearing all black clothing, a black hat, glasses, and white shoes, and having a tattoo sleeve on his right arm.
Officer Christopher Althouse later responded to the Walmart phone kiosk area after learning a male matching the suspect’s description was being detained for theft. Police stated the man was found in possession of one of the stolen phones, while the second phone was recovered from inside the kiosk machine.
The suspect was identified as Chad Branch through his state identification card. According to the report, Branch admitted to taking the phones from McDonald’s and allegedly told officers he had recently lost his job, relapsed on methamphetamine, and needed money.
Both phones were recovered and returned to the victim.
Branch was transported to the Ross County Jail and booked on a theft charge. He was scheduled to appear in Chillicothe Municipal Court on May 19.
As with all criminal cases, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
