Matthew Hallers mugshot

  • Sandusky Register
  • Matthew Haller’s mugshot

What are 14 minutes of freedom worth? If you’re Matthew Haller of Vermillion, two credit cards and probable jail time.

Haller, 32, was in court being arraigned on charges of credit card theft when he made a run for it. According to the Sandusky Register, when the police officer who escorted Haller into the courtroom stepped out, Haller’s accomplice Matthew Machock opened a door with his foot. Haller vaulted over a partition and successfully escaped through said door.

Despite having his shackled hands attached to his waist by a belt, Haller managed to steal two credit cards from a purse sitting on a porch along his escape route. Why the purse was left unattended on a porch appears to be a mystery. Also unknown is if Haller stopped to rifle through it and find the credit cards, or if they were sticking out and he grabbed them while running. Either way, credit card theft appears to be a habit that Haller just can’t kick.

A resident spotted the handcuffed thief near Ritter Public Library and tackled Haller to the ground. The entire incident took place in less than 15 minutes. Haller was charged with theft and escape, and Machock with complicity to escape.

This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2013.

Cecily Rus joined Scene as a blogging intern in September 2013. She is a recent graduate of Colgate University, where she majored in English/Creative Writing. She has previously interned at Scene Magazine in Boston. Her interests include traveling, cheeseburgers and Game of Thrones. Cecily is a Lakewood native and an aspiring editor.

3 replies on “Alleged Credit Card Thief Escapes Courtroom Only to Strike Again”

  2. @Edward “Turn him into fertilizer”? What is wrong with you? The guy is a moron and stole some credit cards and he’ll go to jail for it.

  3. Tell ya what, Joe, here’s the problem with this guy: He’s 32 years old and obviously has no morals, scruples, respect for and fear of authority or of the law. He thumbed his nose at the judicial system by audaciously doing what he did and in that short amount of time committing the same crime that he was arrested for. The guy is a bad seed and will probably be of no value to society from the time he’s released until his date with the devil. You may have a high tolerance level for this type of uncivilized and worthless POS, but I don’t, and as long as he lives in your neighborhood and not mine, he’s all yours!

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