LAKEWOOD, Ohio — As car break-ins continue to be a problem in Northeast Ohio, one local DJ finds himself one of the latest victims.
Dexter Ringo, known to many as DJ Dex, found his car ransacked a little more than a week ago after he left most of his DJ equipment parked inside his car in Cleveland’s Little Italy.
According to police reports, Ringo woke up on March 28 to get ready for work after helping his girlfriend move and found thousands of dollars worth of equipment taken.
“I was pretty shocked and devastated,” he said. “Everything was run through and turned upside down. Adding up the cords [stolen] was $200-300. The Macbook alone, which I was still paying, was $2,000.”
There is a lesson this instructor hopes to pass on from this ordeal.
“Triple check all your doors are locked,” Ringo said. “I don’t know if my passenger rear door was closed so that’s been sitting on my mind every day.”
Since it happened, many in the community have reached out with ways to help the DJ recover.
At Lesalsa dance studio in Lakewood, where Ringo teaches bachata, organizers are planning a fundraiser this Saturday to help Dexter Ringo replace what’s lost.
“He’s like glue; he puts people together and different communities together, in touch to collaborate,” Lesala co-owner Justin Lopez said. “He’s been a big part of bringing the community together when it comes to dancing.”
“I felt so bad for him because I know how much work he puts into arranging that music and how much he gives to our community through the music,” Lesalsa co-owner Myla Petroff added.
A GoFundMe with more than $2,000 donated so far is also set up to help DJ Dex. To donate, click here.
