Court: Man took leaf blower so brazenly, it wasn’t burglary

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man acted so brazenly when he stole a $500 leaf blower from a residence that it wasn’t a burglary. That’s the unanimous decision Ohio’s top court issued Wednesday. The state Supreme Court found that because the man did not use “force, stealth, or deception” to commit the crime, he should instead be convicted of the lesser offense of misdemeanor criminal trespassing. The justices also vacated an 8- to 12-year prison sentence given to Donald Bertram. A homeowner in Portsmouth says that in September 2020, he watched as Bertram drove by his home, walked into the garage, took the leaf blower, walked back to his car, and then drove off.