ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A couple accused of stealing over $500,000 worth of rare coins from a neighborhood near Grandview Heights was found a week later over 100 miles away.
The Grandview Heights Division of Police said that on Dec. 22, a burglary occurred at a home in the Village of Marble Cliff. The initial loss to the homeowner was estimated to be around $500,000.
Police said that because there was very little disturbance to the rest of the home, they believed that the suspects were familiar with the home and the contents within it. Detectives identified 50-year-old Jason Skaggs, of Columbus, as a possible suspect, but believed there were at least two more potential suspects.
One week later, the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office stopped Skaggs for a traffic-related offense. Skaggs and his wife Jasmine Skaggs, 29, were arrested for narcotics and weapons violations. During a search of the car, deputies found a large quantity of rare coins.
Belmont County detectives traced the coins back to the alleged Marble Cliff burglary and Grandview Heights police traveled approximately 125 miles east to take custody of the stolen property.
Officials believe the coins belong to the victim in Marble Cliff and they are verifying the value of the recovered coins. Currently, they estimated the value of the seized property is over $150,000. However, detectives believe that there are around $350,000 worth of additional missing coins that also may have been sold to a third party.
Jason Skaggs is being held in the Belmont County jail on charges of receiving stolen property, having a weapon under disability, and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle. Jasmine Skaggs did not appear in the Belmont County jail records as of 12 p.m. Friday.
Charges in Grandview Heights are still pending as the incident remained under investigation as of Friday.