COLUMBUS – A crime that has been increasing in other parts of the U.S. has arrived in Columbus and authorities are looking for one of its more prolific practitioners.
According to a 2014 insurance industry report, Columbus City Attorney Richard Pfeiffer Jr. says, a black market has grown for truck tailgates because the cost to replace or repair them has skyrocketed to upwards of $3,000 for newer model trucks equipped with backup cameras and other electronics in their tailgates.
Michael Harrington, 66, has a warrant for his arrest after he was caught with four stolen tailgates last year, according to information from Pfeiffer’s office.
“Mr. Harrington seems to be mellowing out a little bit, as he’s gone from stealing entire vehicles to just taking their tailgates,” First Assistant City Prosecutor Bill Hedrick said.
Police interrupted Harrington as he was stealing a Dodge Ram tailgate in Clintonville early one morning and arrested him after a brief chase. When they searched Harrington’s van, the officers found three more tailgates, including two from Ford F-150s whose owners subsequently were identified.
Harrington, whose last known address was in the 1600 block of E. Maynard Avenue, has spent the past four decades in and out of jail, uses at least four different aliases and five different dates-of-birth, Hedrick said.
His criminal record dates back to at least 1975 and includes multiple charges of grand theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle, passing bad checks, receiving stolen property, obstructing official business, forgery, falsification, tampering with serial numbers, tampering with records, criminal trespass, possession of criminal tools, felony theft, felony drug abuse, and breaking and entering.
Anyone with information on Michael Harrington is asked to contact Hedrick at 614-645-8874.