One year ago today, citizens across the state lined up at Sheriff's offices to apply for concealed handgun licenses. April 8, 2004 marked the end of a long struggle to overturn a 150-year-old ban on bearing arms for self-defense. At least, it marked the end of the beginning.

Today, Ohio's concealed carry law is allowing Ohioans a means of protection. But as we all knew when the law was passed, it is a shadow of the type of legislation that is needed to make the largest impact for the betterment of this state's law-abiding citizens.

There is work to be done:

Last week, Ohioans For Concealed Carry began receiving reports of "no-guns" signs being posted in United Dairy Farmers (UDF) stores in Ohio. An investigation by Business Education Coordinator Joe Eaton discovered the Ohio-based chain had just ordered signs to be posted in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana stores.

Although it didn't take long for OFCC supporters to begin responding to the discriminatory signs, OFCC has learned that criminals in Ohio appear to have responded even more rapidly

Cincinnati Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for tips leading to the arrest of a man wanted for aggravated robbery of a UDF store in Cincinnati on March 28.

WANTED FOR AGGRAVATED ROBBERY
Robbery

On 03-28-05 at 4:06 am the suspect entered UDF at 3325 Clifton Av
displaying a gun and a note. The suspect wore a black mask, rose colored
sunglasses, and black gloves.

WBNS-10TV.com is reporting that police are on the hunt for the man they believe robbed three UDF stores within a couple hours last Friday morning, April 1.

From the story:

Police say the suspect entered the store, implied he had a weapon in a note he passed to the cashier.

The suspect robbed the UDF on West Broad Street at 3:40 a.m., one on High Street at 6:09 a.m. and then finally, one on Norton Road at 8:30 a.m.
No one was injured in the robberies and police are currently reviewing surveillance video. They can say they believe the robberies are the work of one man.
Detective Edward Dahlman of the Columbus Police Robbery Squad says, "We believe they are because of the basic description of the suspect and his method of operation. He came in and approached the teller and then passed a note. And after the robbery demand note was passed, then obviously he wanted her to hurry up and he told her to hurry up."
Customers say they saw the suspect flee on foot. Police only have a vague description of the suspect.

According to a Columbus police report discovered by an alert OFCC supporter, a fifth Columbus UDF store was robbed just hours later. From the report, Case # 050271963:

Location: 1188 N. Wilson Rd.
City: Columbus
Zone: 3
Precinct: 15
District: 150
Occurred:4/3/2005 11:33:00 PM
Reported by: Officer Townsley, jr
Badge: 1531

Report Narrative:

REPORTING PERSON STATES THAT AT LISTED TIME, SUSPECT CAME INTO THE STORE AND WENT INTO THE RESTROOM. AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, SUSPECT CAME OUT OF THE RESTROON, LEANED OVER THE COUNTER TOWARDS THE VICTIM AND TOLD HER TO "GIVE HIM THE MONEY IN THE DRAWER." VICTIM STATES THAT SHE THOUGHT THE SUSPECT WAS KIDDING. SUSPECT THEN LEANED A LITTLE FARTHER OVER THE COUNTER, WITH HIS HANDS UNDER HIS COAT THE ENTIRE, TIME AND TOLD THE VICTIM TO "GIVE ME THE F***ING MONEY IN THE DRAWER, OR I`LL TAKE THIS GUN OUT AND F***ING SHOOT YOU." VICTIM STATES THAT SHE THEN GAVE HIM THE MONEY AND THE SUSPECT LEFT THE STORE.

Even as these robberies were being committed, UDF Director of Security John Osborne had begun emailing concerned customers as follows:

The Shareholders and Senior Management felt the SAFEST policy for Customer and Employees would be to post our stores for No Concealed Carry. Personally, as a 34 year police veteran, I agree with the decision!

JOHN W. OSBORNE
Director of Security
(513)366-8497

Is five robberies in less than a week's time the type of "safety" UDF has in mind?

Contact information for Ohio-based United Dairy Farmers is as follows:

United Dairy Farmers
Robert Lindner Jr., President
3955 Montgomery Rd.
Cincinnati,Ohio 45212
www.udfinc.com

Phone: 1-800-833-9911
Email: consumerrelations@udfinc.com

WHIOTV.com is reporting that a warning is being issued for those residents who make large bank deposits, especially deposits for employers.

From the story:

Police in Miami Township are searching for a man who robbed a woman outside a bank as she was about to make a deposit. The crime happened Tuesday at the Fifth-Third Bank on Route 741 near Alex-Bell.

Authorities said a CVS manager was about to walk into the bank to deposit money from the pharmacy when a stocky, white male walked up to her. Maj. John DiPietro said the man asked the woman questions, but she tried to ignore him. DiPietro said one thing led to another when the man pushed her and she dropped the deposit bag.

Police said the robber picked up the bag and took off. Authorities believe the victim was probably being targeted.

Related Story:
Fifth Third: Signs not posted to keep criminals out; They want to keep YOU out

Only you can protect you.

Zanesville Times-Recorder: Murder suspect got early release

Murder suspect Jeremy McGilton was prematurely let out of the county jail, and the sheriff's office is still looking into how the mistake was made.
Sheriff Bob Stephenson is investigating whether a combination of missing paperwork and his office not being informed of a parole holder led to McGilton's release Feb. 27.
"We're still not sure what happened," Stephenson said.
McGilton, 24, of Zanesville, was arrested last week for the murder of James Young, 24, of Horry County, S.C. Young was found dead in his 2766 Oak Bay Drive home early March 27.
Tawnya Todd, McGilton's ex-girlfriend, said she believes the murder would not have happened if McGilton hadn't been let out early. She is considering legal action because she has a 4-month-old son by McGilton and "now my baby doesn't have his daddy," she said.
McGilton was paroled in November after serving about five months of a seven-month sentence for having a weapon under disability.

WHIOTV Dayton: Investigators Believe Rape Suspect Is Hiding In Dayton

Police in Dayton are looking for a man they said committed a violent rape after he was released from jail.
Investigators said Michael Cohen was mistakenly released last Monday, after being arrested following a police chase in the Miami Valley. Investigators said a short time after his release, Cohen raped a woman.
Early in the investigation, police thought Cohen may have left the state. However, on Monday, police said they want citizen's to know that they believe Cohen is in the Dayton area and may be hanging out in the area near Liscum Drive or Hollencamp Avenue, where they said he has family living.
Police said Cohen is known to carry weapons, and has martial arts training. If you see him or know where he is, call the Dayton police.

Columbus Dispatch: Convicted rapist sought by police

A convicted rapist is wanted by Columbus police in the kidnapping and robbery of two women from a Northeast Side apartment complex.

Quan Randolph Jordan, 40, is charged with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of aggravated robbery in connection with the Saturday morning incident.

The victims, described by police as sisters in their 20s, said they were sexually assaulted by the suspect. Police are awaiting lab tests before deciding on additional charges, spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull said.

Jordan was identified by police after an investigation that began with a license plate number supplied by the victims, who then picked his picture out of a photo lineup, Mull said.

Jordan remained at large last night.

He was released from the Lebanon Correctional Institution in December 2003 after serving nearly nine years on a rape conviction in Franklin County, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

WHIOTV Dayton: Convicted Sex Offender Accused Of Same Crime

A man recently convicted of having sex with a minor is accused of doing it again, according to police.
Celina police said Cory Thobe, 18, had sex with a 13-year-old.
In February, Thobe was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a 15-year-old.

While newspapers clamor for the privilege to print the names of the law-abiding CHL holders, criminals, sexual offenders, and criminals of all types are being turned loose on society. Unfortunately, too many of these strike again. It is time for Ohio legislators, and the media, to focus on the criminal and leave law-abiding citizens alone.

Cincinnati's WCPO.com is reporting that a local woman had to use a gun to defend herself after a neighbor she didn't know broke in and attacked her.

From the story:

It was a sudden surprise attack that Lea Murray says now makes her fearful of staying home alone at night.

It happened as Lea was working on her computer in her trailer at the Lake Remington trailer park in Miami Township.

"She slung the door open and slung in back and says, 'Who the 'h' are you?' and I'm like, 'Who are you? This is my home' and it just went from there," said Murray.

The 35-year-old says she was attacked and choked by a 26-year-old neighbor, Heather Quick, who lives just a few hundred feet away. Quick now faces aggravated burglary charges for the home invasion and assault.

"She said she was going to kill me. She was going through the cabinets in the kitchen," said Murray.
Fearing Quick would get a knife out of the kitchen, Murray went for the bedroom to get her gun. Then murray says quick started moving toward her.

"And I fired a warning shot and I told her 'get out of my house.' And then I shot into the ceiling. I kept thinking, I don't want to hurt her," Murray said.

In the meantime, WCPO.com reports Miami Township Police were already on the way to the trailer park, for a call about a disturbance at Heather Quick's trailer.

"At 1 a.m., an officer was dispatched for a disorderly call at lot 14, loud music. While he was en route to the call, the dispatcher advised there were three gunshots fired," said Detective John Swing of Miami Township Police.

Murray says Quick attacked her again, leaving her with scratches on her face and bruises on her arm, among other injuries. Murray says a neighbor helped subdue Quick until officers arrived.

"She probably would have killed me. I was that scared," Murray told 9News.

Murray, who told WCPO she didn't know Quick before the alleged attack Wednesday morning. says she is now thinking about getting a security system because she's afraid to stay by herself at night, but says that won't be easy on her disability income.

We think her security system worked just as it was supposed to.

One doesn't buy fire insurance because they expect their house to burn, car insurance because they expect to be in a collision, or life insurance because they expect to die young. So why do some say they only plan to exercise their right to bear arms for self-defense when they are expecting trouble? Every day in Ohio, we go to work, for a walk, or to their front door without expecting trouble. Will trouble find you? Will you be ready?

Click on the "Read More..." link below for examples from the past week of Ohioans who were neither expecting trouble nor ready for when it found them. But find them it did.

Lancaster: Shooting suspects sought

A Lancaster man is recovering from gunshot wounds at a Columbus hospital.
William T. Brown, 29, of 1681 E. Main St., told police he had been walking in the parking lot of the former Big Bear Plus store at 1710 E. Main St. when he was attacked.
Brown said he was near the bus stop at one end of the parking lot of the shopping center just after 10 p.m. Saturday when two individuals approached him. Both were wearing masks and told Brown to get down.
Lt. Dan Shupp said Brown told police it was all over in a couple of minutes.
"He reached in his jacket for his wallet to give them," Shupp said. "They then pulled out guns and shot him in the hand and the thigh."