Man sentenced after crime wave of car break-ins in Cleveland: I-Team

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CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team found some justice in a crime wave hitting so many people downtown and in other parts of the city.

Thieves have been breaking into more and more cars. Now, one thief well-known to Cleveland police just went to prison. We also have new video.

An I-Team camera rolled on Wednesday in Cuyahoga County court to see Brian Bodenschatz finally taken off your streets for a long time.

Bodenschatz had been arrested again and again for breaking into cars. The court had given him second chances and drug treatment.

But after new crimes, Judge Brian Mooney sentenced him to more than four years in prison.

New video released to the I-Team shows Bodenschatz walk up to a pick-up truck parked downtown. Then, in broad daylight, investigators say Bodenschatz smashed a window, stole what was inside and took off.

“I went over a year sober. I was out, I was doing fine. I relapsed,” Bodenschatz said in court. “I apologize to the victims as well.”

We’ve reported on a skyrocketing number of vehicles broken into downtown and in other neighborhoods. Many victims have gone to sporting events downtown, and they’ve come out to find car windows smashed and valuables stolen. Sometimes, dozens of cars get hit at a time.

The I-Team has filed a request to find the total number of these cases.

We keep hearing about so many, yet so far only a few people have been arrested. Weeks ago, Cleveland police did haul in three teens for a rash of car break-ins. Police say those kids also had a stolen car and a gun.

In court on Wednesday, Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Dan Cleary reminded the judge that Bodenschatz would not be paying back any victims for the damage he’s caused, and he’s blown his second chances.

“This man’s never going to pay that back. Not ever,” Cleary said.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors say they’ve tied at least 18 victims and a stolen gun to that one-man crime spree.

Cleveland police say they have multiple detectives from different units investigating these crimes. Now, one less thief breaking into your car.

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Ed Gallek

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