The Blackwell Inn is the only hotel on Ohio State’s campus and could be at risk with a serial hotel robber out in the Columbus area.

The suspect has stolen money from three hotels and cased another Jan. 14 and 15, according to Columbus Police reports. The division specialist, Amanda Ford, said the robber asks the hotel front desk employee for an application and then pretends to look it over before demanding money from the register and threatening with a weapon.

A suspect in three hotel robberies cases a Hampton Inn hotel on Rome-Hilliard Road in west Columbus. Ohio State Police said they do not expect the thief to come to the Blackwell Inn. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police.COLUMBUS POLICEA suspect in three hotel robberies cases a Hampton Inn hotel on Rome-Hilliard Road in west Columbus. Ohio State Police said they do not expect the thief to come to the Blackwell Inn.
Ford said the suspect has been targeting vacant hotel lobbies, and typically strikes at night and early in the morning. The suspect has robbed a Best Western Hotel and a Microtel Inn on the West Side, and a Staybride Hotel near the airport on the East Side.

The suspect wandered around the lobby of the Hampton Inn on Rome-Hilliard Road before exiting when some people entered, Ford said. The Hampton Inn security staff noticed that the suspect looked suspicious from the surveillance camera and saw that he matched the description of the hotel thief.

Ford said more hotels are starting to work together to gather information about the suspect and plan to keep their building and employees safe.

“He has hit up hotels all over Columbus from the EastSide to the West Side, so they all should look out,” Ford said.

With the Blackwell Inn being so close to the university, OSU student safety is a concern. But the Blackwell’s business manager, Roger Wilson, said the hotel already has the top security measures in place.

Some students think that OSU is too big and open to not to be a target.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Police.COLUMBUS POLICE
“Last quarter Columbus had a serial rapist and now with a hotel thief on the loose, what could stop him from coming to the most central location, which is the home of the Buckeyes?” said Dan Baker, a sophomore in actuarial science.

Ohio State Police Chief Paul Denton said he does not think the thief will come to campus.

“When you look at this guy’s pattern and the type of hotels he has hit, I don’t think Ohio State is on his list,” he said. “But we have taken the appropriate response to the situation to keep the area safe.”

Police have described the suspect as a Hispanic male in his 20s with a medium build, wavy black hair and no facial hair. If anyone can identify him, they are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 645-TIPS.

Heather Hope can be reached at [email protected].