Lima man charged with car break-ins

CELINA- A 35-year-old Lima man linked to a string of car break-ins in several towns made an initial appearance in Mercer County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.

Travis E. Neer appeared on seven counts of theft, a fifth-degree felony; and one count of burglary, a second-degree felony.

If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $32,500.

Neer was appointed public defender Thomas J. Lucente as counsel.

From Oct. 15 to Nov. 3, Neer allegedly broke into numerous cars and stole items, including debit cards, driver's licenses, bullets and sunglasses, in Celina, Coldwater, St. Henry and Rockford, per an affidavit.

Through investigative efforts, law enforcement identifed Neer as a suspect, the affidavit states.

Neer was previously "convicted of theft from vehicles and the modus operandi of those crimes was similar to the crimes occurring throughout Mercer County," the affidavit states. "Law enforcement also discovered that Neer had a 2012 silver Ford Escape registered to him, which matched the suspect vehicle captured by surveillance footage in St. Henry."

Also, the Wapakoneta Police Department reported to local law enforcement that they recently had 13 vehicle break-ins and that the suspect vehicle was a silver Ford Escape with plates matching those on Neer's vehicle, per the affidavit.

"Neer's Ford Escape was entered into the FLOCK camera database, and it was revealed that Neer's vehicle was Southbound on State Route 118, south of Coldwater, on October 23, 2024, at approximately 3:21 a.m.," the affidavit states. "The male suspect was captured on surveillance footage stealing from vehicles in St. Henry on October 23, 2024 at approximately 3:30 a.m. On October 30, 2024, law enforcement applied for and obtained a search warrant to place a GPS tracking device on Neer's Ford Escape."

FLOCK cameras are placed at various heavily traveled locations throughout the county and operate 24/7 to capture images of the backs of vehicles, providing crucial pieces of evidence that the sheriff's office uses to investigate crimes.

Neer was arrested on Nov. 3 by Celina police officers after they had tracked and caught him making a left turn without a signal, the affidavit states.

He is being held on $500,000 bond at the Mercer County jail.

"You may have heard by now that we have experienced an unwanted visitor to our town, and they have sticky fingers," Rockford mayor Ron Searight said at a recent council meeting. "We want to encourage you to make sure that you have everything locked up and secured as best as possible to detour visitors like them from paying anyone a visit. If you see or hear something that isn't quite right, report it by calling 911. We need to help each other in protecting our family, neighbors and friends."

Neer is scheduled to appear next in court on Nov. 13.