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CELINA - A 49-year-old Celina man was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly stalking and watching children at bus stops in the city.
Shawn Allen Steinke of Monroe Road has been charged with menacing by stalking, a fourth degree felony, according to Celina Police Chief Tom Wale.
Police officers on Wednesday observed Steinke in a gray 2013 Dodge Challenger watching and talking to children on the side of a road, Wale said. Steinke was arrested and taken to the Mercer County jail, capping a nearly month-long investigation.
This redacted picture from the Celina Police Department shows Shawn Allen Steinke's gray 2013 Dodge Challenger near students.
Steinke is awaiting a court hearing. No bond has been set, the county sheriff's office website shows.
Wale said his office launched an inquiry after receiving calls from parents about a suspicious man watching children at bus stops, causing them and their kids to be "nervous and scared."
Led by officer Anthony Poppe, the probe spanned most of November and involved fielding reports, identifying a suspect and conducting surveillance, Wale said. Digging into Steinke's criminal history "kind of affirmed that this is what he was likely doing," he added.
Steinke was convicted in 2004 on child enticement in Auglaize County and given probation at the time, according to Wale.
"Initially he was watching them. He would come around at times when the buses were either picking up or dropping off," Wale said of Steinke's latest allegations. "He was always there watching the kids. It just seemed unusual, suspicious behavior."
Wale did not know offhand the number of children whom Steinke allegedly interacted with.
"At no time are we aware that he ever made an attempt to abduct a kid," Wale pointed out.
Wale said the act of causing people to be fearful constitutes disorderly conduct. However, engaging in a pattern of repeated criminal activity elevates the charge to felonious menacing by stalking, he said.
Asked if the police department has handled similar cases in the past, Wale said "not like this in particular."
"Once in a while somebody calls and they're nervous about somebody in the area - but not to this extent, to where he's doing this on a regular basis," Wale said.
Protecting the children of the community is a top priority for officers who take all concerns about their safety seriously, he stressed.
"We're not going to assume anything is unfounded. In this day in age, you've got to be hyper vigilant when it concerns our children," he said.
Anyone with further information about Steinke are asked to the call the police department at 419-586-2345.
Wale thanked Celina City Schools staff, parents, the St. Marys and Coldwater police departments and the county prosecutor's office for their assistance in the investigation.
