Area Police Beat

Injuries in explosion

A Potter County man who police said made his own explosive device for recreation is facing criminal charges after the item exploded last Thursday in Costello.

Two teenaged girls were treated at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital for injuries.

According to state police from the Denton Hill barracks, George A. Herzing of Ripple Drive, Costello, faces chares of reckless endangerment, simple assault and criminal mischief.

Troopers say he was attending a gathering and retrieved the device, described by police as a "cannon." As he attempted to discharge it, the device malfunctioned, sending shrapnel over a wide radius.

A 14-year-old girl nearby was struck on the left leg. A 13-year-old girl suffered a burn-type injury when struck in the abdomen.

The blast also slightly damaged two mobile homes and broke the rear window of Herzing's van, police said.

Con artists move on

A band of con men who tried to burglarize an Emporium area couple moved on to McKean County, where they gave it another shot. They are still at large.

State police from Kane said a man approached Penny Grimes at her home in Prentisvale Tuesday, saying that he needed to see her property line because he was cutting down trees for the state.

After several minutes outside with the man, Grimes informed the man that she had to return inside to check on her elderly husband. She then discovered that there was another man in the house. Both of the suspects fled.

Grimes said the man rummaged through some of the couple's belongings but apparently did not steal anything.

Earlier, police say, three Hispanic men in a newer gray or silver Cadillac pulled into the driveway of a residence on Valley View Road near Emporium and tried to pull the same con on Mr. and Mrs. Austin Kowell.

Burglaries reported

State police from Denton Hill have been kept busy investigating several burglaries that may be related.

Sometime over the past couple of weeks, thieves took some Buffalo Bills collector's items, including a signed football and jersey, from a house on Main Street in the village of Roulette. The victim is Bradley Jones of Palm Beach, Florida.

Last week, thieves forced their way into a garage along Route 6 West in Roulette Township and stole a .22 caliber rifle and several tools, valued at more than $1,500. Police identified the victim as Thomas Kisiel of Coudersport.

In a separate incident, thieves kicked in a door to gain entry to a garage on the Eleven Mile Road in Oswayo Township last week and made off with a chain saw, generator and tools belonging to Philip Urban of Shinglehouse. Value of the missing items was set at $4,500.

Thieves also entered an adjacent house, where they made off with an antique desk owned by Thomas Kemp.

Injured in bike wreck

Coudersport Emergency Services personnel responded to a bicycle accident Tuesday afternoon near the entrance to Coudersport Area Recreation Park.

Witnesses said a Coudersport boy whose name was not released by police was injured when he was ejected from the bicycle while descending the steep East Seventh Street hill. He was transferred by helicopter to a distant medical facility.

Coudersport Borough Police are investigating.

Metal stolen from shed

State police from the Kane barracks are investigating another theft of metals occurring sometime last Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.

Troopers say unknown thieves broke a padlock and entered a steel shed owned by PetroNorth Limited on Chapel Fork Road near Smethport. Once inside, they loaded a vehicle with copper tubing, brass valves, wrenches, an electric motor and other items with a total value of about $1,500.

Series of break-ins

State police from Emporium are investigating a series of camp burglaries discovered in recent weeks.

Someone broke into a seasonal home owned by Richard A. Bonzo of Rochester, Pa., along Rt. 872 in Grove Township and stole various items.

Thieves also struck a camp in the same area between June 17 and June 20, breaking in and stealing items with a total value of $1,350. The camp is owned by Charles Henninger of Millersburg.

Police are also trying to determine who took more than $4,000 worth of items from a camp on Wykoff Run Road, about two miles south of Apple Lane in Gibson Township, between June 1 and June 19. The victim is Frank A. Wolfe of Huntingdon.

Also, state police were summoned to Rt. 120 in Grove Township, just west of the Clinton County border, after someone broke into a pickup truck owned by Frederick Casher of Frenchville by breaking the driver's side window. They made off with binoculars and cigarettes.

Vandals strike

Two more acts of vandalism were recently investigated by police in Emporium Borough.

Someone stole lawn ornaments from the front yard of a Fifth Street house owned by Fred Klinzing. Also, a landscaping light was taken from the yard of a Maple Street home owned by Betty Neff.

Two facing charges

Two Emporium residents are being charged for altercations.

Police allege that Todd Steinberg, 33, hit a 25-yearold woman on the head during an argument. She was holding a baby at the time, police said.

John Tomaski Jr. is accused of shoving a woman during a disagreement at a Spring Street home.

Tools stolen

State police from the Denton Hill barracks are investigating a break-in last weekend along Rt. 6, west of Coudersport.

Officers say someone gained entry to a workshop owned by Joseph Turbett in Eulalia Township and stole a variety of tools, consisting of saws, drills and a sander, with a total value of about $500.

Facing DUI charge

A New York State man has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after becoming stranded in his car early Tuesday morning near the state border in Sharon Township. State police say 19-year-old Cody O'Dell of Rexville was eastbound on Honeoye Street, north of Shinglehouse, and backed over an embankment as he tried to turn around at about 1 am.

Money taken from purse

Theft of $300 from a McKean County woman over the weekend is being investigated by state police from Denton Hill.

Miranda Bailey of Smethport told troopers someone lifted three $100 bills from her purse while she was visiting a residence on Maple Street in the village of Roulette.