Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

John Williams Pastry Shop and Gabriel’s Bistro were burglarized this morning, and the Falconer, New York, man who admitted to committing the crimes is in McKean County Jail. City Police say they got a call at 4:19 a.m. saying someone wearing a black mask and dark hoodie was inside John Williams. When police got there, they noticed signs of forced entry, and soon saw a man walking a dolly cart and stopped him. After 41-year-old Richard Schultz told police he had a hammer on him, one officer patted him down looking for more weapons and found a bundle of cash in his pocket. Then they saw the business’s safe outside the back of the building, the cash drawer on the ground and damage to doors. Court papers say that while being interviewed by police Schultz confessed to the John Williams burglary, and also admitted to breaking into Gabriel’s Bistro, where he grabbed the dolly cart he used at John Williams. His bail is set at $25,000, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 12...

Two sisters who stole from two different Chautauqua County post offices will spend the next two years on probation. 35-year-old Amanda Elliott of Ellington and 30-year-old Tamara Elliott of Falconer were also ordered to pay back thousands of dollars when they were sentenced in federal court. Amanda was postmaster in Lily Dale from December of 2012 to September of last year. She was order to pay back nearly $5,600. Tamara, who was postmaster in Ellington, was ordered to pay back more than $11,000. She was also sentenced to three months of home confinement. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man who was seen putting a leather jacket and two pairs of work boots under his jacket, and then tried to walk out of a store without paying for them, is behind bars. 49-year-old Robert Bargy of Falconer was seen shoplifting by numerous witnesses at the Stagecoach West in Irving. The jacket is valued at $150. Each pair of boots is valued at $205. The incident happened on February 14, the day after he allegedly stole $150 worth of cigarettes from the Iroquois Smoke Shop in Gowanda. He had been in the Erie County Holding Center on $5,000 cash bail on that charge. On this charge, Bargy was sent to Chautauqua County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One man is charged with petit larceny for driving off without paying for $50 worth of gas, and the guy who was planning to pick him up at the state police barracks is facing charges, too. Police say 43-year-old Michael Orazio of Falconer left the gas station in Gowanda on Friday without paying, and they caught up with him on Route 62 in Kennedy after another customer at the gas station witnessed the drive-off and followed him. While Orazio was being booked his ride, 46-year-old Anthony Boris of Eden, came to pick him up. Troopers smelled alcohol and then found an open car of beer in his vehicle and learned his driver’s license had been suspended. He’s charged with driving while intoxicated. Both men are scheduled to appear in court later this month. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man who robbed six banks – including a Northwest Savings Bank in Falconer – will spend the next 11 years in prison. 59-year-old Robert Stevenson of Rochester also robbed banks in the Rochester suburb or Irondequoit, Kenmore, Syracuse, Utica and New Hartford. Stevenson was also order to pay more than $16,000 in restitution. The FBI worked with local police departments in the investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman is in jail for allegedly forging a check worth more than $1,000. State police say 37-year-old Julie Stutzman of Falconer forged the $1,200 check from an area business. She was charged with forgery and grand larceny and sent to Chautauqua County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

There’s a new twist to Friday’s story about four teenagers getting locked inside a walk-in vault. It seems it wasn’t an accident, and 19-year-old Lyle Howard is charged with reckless endangerment for closing the door, spinning the locking mechanism on the door and trapping the four inside. He was taken to Chautauqua County Jail on $500 bail. It took Falconer firefighters and a locksmith about four hours to get the 18- and 19-year-olds out of the vault. Police haven't released their names but say charges of marijuana possession and underage drinking are pending against them. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Four Chautauqua County teenagers had to be rescued from a walk-in vault after they got trapped inside early this morning. Starting at about 1 o’clock this morning crews from two fire departments as well as a locksmith worked at getting the teens out of the vault in a house in Falconer. The locksmith was able to get the door open at around 4 a.m. But getting trapped inside the vault is the least the teens’ problems. Inside the vault, police found a small amount of marijuana, and evidence that they had smoked some. Police also found numerous cans and bottles of alcohol. Police say the teens who admitted to having the marijuana will be issued court appearance tickets. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Falconer, New York, man with a history of heart problems died in a motorcycle crash Monday in Cattaraugus County. State police say 53-year-old Richard Schulz was on Bone Run Road in the Town of South Valley when his motorcycle left the road and went into a ditch, throwing him off the bike. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A passing motorist told police he saw Schulz clutching his chest just before the crash. Family members say he had not been feeling well, and did have heart problems. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A motorcycle crash in Cattaraugus County has claimed the life of a Chautauqua County man. State Police have not released the name of the 53-year-old Falconer resident, but say he may have been stricken by a medical condition before the crash, which happened at just before noon on Bone Run Road in South Valley. Police are continuing their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Falconer man is facing more than 50 charges in connection to deer jacking. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police have charged 60-year-old Bruce Giddy with 46 violations of environmental conservation law as well as eight counts of reckless endangerment. The investigation started on November 25 of last year when police got a report about a deer being shot and left on school property in Jamestown. Witnesses said the man shot the deer from his vehicle in a residential area and on school property. After DEC Police tracked down Giddy, they linked him to similar incidents where deer had been shot in residential areas and left behind. Each misdemeanor carries a jail term of up to one year and fines range from $200 to $2,000 per charge. He will be arraigned later this month. http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/90233.html The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An 84-year-old Gerry woman is dead after being hit by a vehicle while crossing the street Monday morning. State police say the woman, who they haven’t identified yet, was crossing Harris Hill Road in Gerry after getting her newspaper from its box. 34-year-old Jamie Carder of Falconer just crested the hill and saw the woman crossing the road, but could not avoid hitting her. The woman was taken to UMPC Hamot in Erie, where she later died. Carder has not been charged, and has not been issued any tickets. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

On Monday, police thought a bank robbery in Jamestown and another in Falconer were unrelated. Today, they believe both robberies were committed by the same man responsible for other robberies across New York State. The first robbery was at 12:15 p.m. at the First Niagara Bank in Jamestown. The second was at the Jamestown Savings Bank in Falconer at around 2:15 p.m. Authorities first thought the second robber was a black man, but now believe the man who robbed both banks is a white man about 5-feet 10-inches tall, weighing 160 pounds. He has light brown hair with a reddish-blonde goatee. He was wearing wire rim glasses, a black leather coat, black pants and a black Pittsburgh Pirates hat. The FBI and other agencies are now working together on the case. Jamestown Police photo The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police in Chautauqua County are looking for two bank robbers. At 2:15 this afternoon a 6-foot-tall black man walked into the Jamestown Savings Bank in Falconer and showed the teller a note demanding money. He did not display a weapon, but did get away with an undisclosed amount of cash. Two hours earlier, white man walked into the First Niagara Bank on Spring Street in Jamestown, and handed the teller a note, saying he had a weapon, and demanding money. He did not show a weapon either, and also got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Falconer man was sent to jail after firing a gun into the ground near a person he didn’t want on his property. Sheriff’s deputies say 42-year-old James McGrath was upset because the person was on his property after being told to leave so, at about 4:45 Thursday morning he fired the shot into the ground toward the person. No one was hurt. McGrath was charged with reckless endangerment and sent to jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail.

A Falconer, New York, man is facing charges for having sex with children. State police say 48-year-old Douglas Nelson had inappropriate relationships with children in Chautauqua County and surrounding areas. The investigation is continuing while police try to determine whether Nelson had contact with any other children.Because of the ongoing investigation, police have not released any further information. Nelson was sent to jail on $25,000 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Unattended smoking materials are believed to be the cause of a fire that heavily damaged a Falconer apartment building early Tuesday morning. Firefighters got the call at about 3:15 a.m. for 62 East Main Street. The blaze started in a first floor apartment. The two residents of the apartment where the fire started were treated for smoke inhalation at WCA Hospital, and then released. Three other tenants were displaced by the fire and are being assisted by the Red Cross. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Falconer man is accused of stealing two Zippo lighters from a convenience store in the village over the weekend. Police say after they arrested Jacob Trippy for stealing the Zippos, they learned that he had a small amount of marijuana and a ring that had been taken from a Falconer home. Trippy was charged with petit larceny, unlawful possession of marijuana and criminal possession of stolen property. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The fire that broke out in an auto body shop/service complex in Falconer Monday night was caused by sparks from a metal grinder. The Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team says the owner had been working with the grinder earlier in the evening, and it appears the sparks smoldered and later ignited flammable material, possibly sawdust. The fire has been ruled accidental. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Firefighters from Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Warren counties battled a blaze near Falconer last night that sent flames shooting up to 25 feet high. The fire started at about 9 o’clock at a former auto body shop/service complex. Shortly after firefighters arrived there was an explosion and a fireball, and explosions continued for about an hour. Firefighters believe the explosions and intense flames were caused by a remnant of stored petroleum product. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947