CIRCLEVILLE, OH (July 20, 2025) — A Columbus man is in custody after allegedly attempting to steal a 2023 Chevrolet Camaro from Coughlin Automotive on U.S. Route 23 in the early hours of Saturday morning.
According to the Circleville Police Department, officers were dispatched to the dealership at approximately 1:22 a.m. after security personnel spotted a man on surveillance cameras trying to break into a 2023 Red Chevrolet Camaro LT1 on the lot. The suspect, described as wearing grey sweatpants, a black hoodie with a white Nike logo, red gloves, a black ski mask, and a gray backpack, was seen running toward the nearby Holiday Inn.
Officer Grant Hollaway arrived on scene and located a man matching the suspect’s description in the parking lot of the hotel. The individual, later identified as 31-year-old Lance Langston, was detained without incident. Officers said Langston initially claimed he was waiting for a girlfriend who had left the area earlier in the evening.
Further investigation revealed a broken driver’s side window on the Camaro, and officers later recovered a backpack behind the hotel. The backpack allegedly contained a tablet, a car key programming device, two Camaro key fobs, gloves, a ski mask, a glass breaker/seatbelt cutter tool, and a $5 bill. Officers say Langston also had a window-breaking tool in his pocket.
Surveillance footage from Coughlin Automotive reportedly showed Langston approaching the Camaro, crouching beside the driver’s side door multiple times, and then running from the scene toward the hotel. Additional video from the Holiday Inn captured Langston discarding his backpack near a dumpster.
Police estimate damage to the vehicle at around $6,000. The car is valued at approximately $41,000.
Langston was arrested and booked into the Pickaway County Jail on multiple charges, including:
- Attempted theft of a motor vehicle
- Criminal mischief
- Criminal trespass
- Possession of criminal tools
- Tampering with evidence
The case remains under investigation.
