An Avon Middle School art teacher has been indicted on more than 30 charges for allegedly using credit cards stolen from cars parked in the Cleveland Metroparks to buy thousands of dollars worth of items at area stores.

The charges against Anne Maiden, 38, in Cuyahoga County include theft, forgery, criminal damaging, receiving stolen property, misuse of credit cards and possession of criminal tools.

Maiden also is being investigated in other counties — including Lorain and Medina counties — for her role in a series of break-ins into cars in parks in those areas, said Ryan Miday, a spokesman for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason.

So far, she has only been charged in Cuyahoga County, according to court records, although Lorain County Metro Parks rangers have indicated that she will be charged here as well in connection with at least two car break-ins and the use of credit cards stolen from those vehicles.

The Cuyahoga County charges stem from four car break-ins, Miday said in a news release.

The release said the first incident took place Aug. 24 when a car owned by an Elyria woman was broken into while parked at the Little Met Golf Course. The woman’s credit card was used to run up charges of $916 at the North Olmsted Wal-Mart, $269 at Kmart in Brooklyn, $33 at Sam’s Club in Brooklyn and $867 at Kmart in Middleburg Heights.

A car parked at Bradley Woods Reservation in Westlake was broken into on Sept. 3 and the man’s credit card was used at a BP gas station in North Ridgeville for $39. Maiden also allegedly rang up $549 in purchases at the Toys “R” Us in North Olmsted and another $114 at a BP station in North Olmsted. The card also was allegedly used for an attempted purchase at Sears in North Olmsted, according to Miday.

Another car was broken into Oct. 29 at the Cleveland Metroparks Millstream Run Reservation and a stolen credit card was used to make $762 in purchases at the Wal-Mart in Strongsville and for $900 in purchases at the Best Buy in Strongsville, the release said.

A fourth car was broken into in late October while parked at Pleasant Lake Villas in Parma and the victim’s credit card was used to buy $200 in gift cards at the Target in Parma.

Maiden, who is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday, was removed from the classroom after her initial arrest earlier this month and a substitute teacher has been covering her classes.

Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147  or bdicken@chroniclet.com.

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