Thieves, Molesters Cruise Movie Theaters, Station Reports

CLEVELAND -- The hot summer movies will soon be released on big screens. You might expect to find a screen full of bad guys at thrillers like "Mission: Impossible 3."

But after you buy your ticket, grab a popcorn and head to your seat, some real-life villains could be a lot closer than the big screen, television station WEWS reported.

"Now when I come here by myself I'm always scared," said one moviegoer.

The station found car thieves, drug dealers and child molesters outside cruising the parking lot -- while moviegoers were inside the theater.

The station's investigation found serious crimes at almost every movie theater in every neighborhood in its area.

WEWS reviewed a full year of police crime records.

At the AMC West Theatres near Akron, there were three stolen cars and three more were broken into, records showed.

One man was even caught caressing the hair and neck of a 14-year-old girl.

In another case, a man tried to lure 13-year-olds to his car to buy perfume.

"And he said, 'You look like girls who like to smell pretty.' And then he was like, 'Would you like to come to my car and buy some?' Uh, no," one girl said.

At the Loews Town Square 20 in Richmond Heights, there were 10 cars broken into and three more stolen, records showed.

Darnelle Hustak's stolen car was found with a gun that was used in a homicide still in the back seat, WEWS reported.

"When we came here it was still light out. I never gave it another thought. Had I seen a report like this, I would have before I came to a movie theater," Hustak said.

The Cinemark 24 in Valley View topped the list with everything from stolen cars to vandalism, teenage drinking, drug abuse and one teenage girl beaten by another group who allegedly stole her cell phone, WEWS reported.

In the parking lot, 17-year-old Daniella Markov was among six people whose cars were broken into last year.

"My CD player, right here, I got a new one, but it was all ripped out and there was ... wires everywhere all over the ground and everything," Markov said. "I felt really weird ... in my car for the next days -- and I was scared too."

On a recent Saturday night, the station went undercover in Valley View. WEWS found a Valley View police car parked right outside the theaters and another patrolling the lot.

WEWS said things might seem safe but warned citizens about being fooled. Police officers whom WEWS talked to said that some cars were stolen and broken into last year while officers were there.

"As you can see, we have a pretty large expanse of parking here, and we can't be everywhere at one time. While the officer is on that side, something could be happening on this side," said Valley View police Capt. Mark Sierrlja.