Cops: Beer-guzzling bandit

Cops: Beer-guzzling bandit
BY KIMBALL PERRY | KPERRY@ENQUIRER.COM
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Nov 15, 2007

Ronald Terry liked sipping suds when he was stealing stuff, police said.

Empty beer cans and bottles led to his arrest and his possible fourth trip to a state prison.

Terry, 46, was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts of robbery of an unoccupied in the 5200 block of Sidney Road in Green Township.

Police say Terry first broke into the home Aug. 25, entering through a rear basement door.

In that incident, various power tools were taken from the home. While the thief was there, police said he drank beer from a 16-ounce Milwaukee’s Best can.

Police know that because the crook left the can in the house. He also left his DNA on the beer can because his saliva was on the can where he drank from it.

The same house was broken into three days later and the crook took copper water piping from the basement.

This time, the crook again had a cold one because police found a King Cobra beer bottle inside the basement.

Police submitted the beer can and bottle to the Hamilton County coroner’s lab for DNA analysis and they told police the DNA belonged to Terry.

Terry was arrested at the Hamilton County Justice Center where he was being held while awaiting trial on theft and forgery charges. He lives in Clermont County’s Miami Township.

Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge John Burlew, noting Terry has been to prison three times and has 14 prior felony arrests, ordered him held on a $100,000 bond.