Canton Man Makes False Police Report to Avoid Paying for New Door

A Canton man and teen were cited for making a false police report and giving false information to a police officer, respectively, after police responded to a home invasion on the 40000 block of Crossbow Circle around 11:23 p.m. on Sept. 27, according to a police report. 

A 48-year-old man told police that he lived at the location with the homeowner, who was not at home during the incident, and he left with the homeowner's 16-year-old daughter and returned to find the door damaged and open, the report said.

The man told police he had locked the door before leaving, the report said. 

The door jam was severely splintered and appeared forced open, according to the report.

Both the man and teenager told police that they had not been inside after arriving home and seeing the damage, the report said.

Police found no one inside and nothing inside tampered with.

Police became suspicious of the story after asking the teenager inside to see if anything was missing. She told police nothing was missing without looking around. She told police she answered the question improperly because she was tired and said her mom was currently at a nursing home for rehab on her leg after surgery, the report said. 

Police learned that there had been an argument outside regarding the door being locked on someone from the next-door neighbor, the report said. 

The teenager finally admitted to the truth after the man told her he already admitted it to the police, the report said. She told police she got locked out and she lightly kicked the door, which broke open. She said she lied because she did not want to get in trouble for breaking the door, the report said. 

The man told police that making the report was his idea and didn't want to see anybody else get in trouble for his decision, the report said.