The Hubbard Township police department is looking for a man who they say is selling logging rights to property he doesn't own to groups of Amish people.

Timothy Grimes, 34, formerly of Kinsman, Ohio, allegedly approached at least two different groups of the same Amish community in Middlefield, Ohio, offering them rights to log timber on land in Hubbard Township.

Police say Grimes told the men he received permission from the property owners to sell the rights to their property.

The men paid a total of $31,000 for the rights to the timber. One of the properties is owned by Mid West Steel on Mt. Everett Road, near the Interstate 80 overpass, Det. Mike Begeot said. The other property, a private residence, is located on Fox North Road.

"The manager for the steel company heard a disturbance from the back of the property," Begeot said. "When he went back to investigate, there was a group of Amish men cutting down the trees. He asked what they were doing."

The men replied they'd paid $18,000 for the right to log the timber and had permission from the land owner, and produced the contract granting them logging rights. The contract proved to be a fake. Begeot said the situation at the private residence was similar. A group of men, also from Middlefield, said Grimes had approached them with a contract for the logging rights to land in Hubbard Township. They paid $13,000 for the contract.

Hubbard Township police issued warrants for Grimes' arrest. Grimes has previously been convicted in Ohio on charges of breaking and entering, forgery and possession of drugs. He served about 18 months of his term, and was paroled on July 10, 2001 from the North Central Correctional Institution in Marion, Ohio.

Begeot said there is a possibility Grimes is still in the area, and could possibly have scammed more people with the scheme.

Police ask anyone with information to call (330) 534-8477.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Amanda Smith-Teutsch at: ateutsch@sharonherald.com