IRONTON — “It’s unbelievable the amount of thieving going on,” Ironton Police Detective, Capt. Chris Bowman said as he detailed the arrests of three people on theft or related charges within the last week. “It’s totally out of control.”

The three people were arrested in connection with separate incidents; Bowman called one a “career criminal.”

An Ohio Highway Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle Monday night at U.S. 52 and Delta Lane. A search of the vehicle turned up the 2007 Arctic Cat four-wheeler and numerous other items that had been reported stolen from vehicles in the Green Valley area of Ironton during the past few days.

The driver, Frank G. Lewis, 27, of 2212 N. Fifth St., Ironton, was charged with multiple counts of theft. Bowman said Lewis will face additional charges in the future in connection with these incidents.

“We want to caution people that in most of these cases the vehicles were unlocked and the items taken were in plain view,” Bowman said. “We again want to caution people to take valuables out of vehicles and take them into their homes at night and make sure you lock your car.”

Bowman thanked the state patrol for their assistance.

“If they had not stopped that car it would have been harder for us to do this,” Bowman said.

In another unrelated case, police have arrested Tina Hanshaw, 45, of 2165 County Road 2, Ironton, and charged her with two counts of theft, two counts of forgery and one count of tampering with evidence in connection with a string of other car break-ins and the theft of a bicycle Aug. 13.

Bowman said additional charges will likely be filed against Hanshaw.

“She admitted in her own statement she broke into 20, 25 cars over the course of the last few months,” Bowman said.

He referred to her as a career criminal who has a history of theft and other similar arrests.

In a third matter, Rosie Gunter, 22, of 401 Center St., Ironton, was arrested Thursday and charged with forgery in connection with the theft of two credit cards from an employee locker at the CVS Pharmacy at the Ironton Hills Shopping Center Aug. 24.

The stolen credit cards were used at the CVS pharmacy on South Third Street as well as at stores in Kentucky. Bowman said two others may be charged in connection with the theft of the credit cards.