Published: January 05, 2009 12:17 am      

BLOTTER: Police reports published Jan. 5

NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO

Elderly man found dead in cistern

An autopsy has been ordered into the death of a 92-year-old man who was found dead inside a cistern at his Willodell Road property in the city’s south end Saturday night, though Niagara Regional Police do not suspect foul play in the unusual incident.

“It appears it could be accidental and/or medical,” said Det.-Sgt. Jim Moody in the Niagara Falls detectives office.

The man had a cistern on the property of his home in rural Niagara Falls. Police believe the man, who lived alone, might have tried to repair it and fallen in by accident.

Paramedics, firefighters and police were called to the home shortly before 8 p.m., Saturday, but the man had already died and might have been in the cistern for some time before he was discovered. Police believe the emergency call came after a neighbour checked on the elderly man, Moody said. Police did not release the name of the victim.

— Niagara Falls, Ontario, Review



Bank hold-up man arrested

Niagara Regional Police have arrested a suspect in the Friday robbery of the Meridian Credit Union, 6175 Dunn St., Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The suspect, whose name has not been released, entered the credit union at 1:45 p.m. armed with a sawed-off shotgun. The man demanded money from two of the tellers and after receiving an undisclosed quantity of cash, fled the scene on foot.

Detectives, acting on information they received, along with the police K9 Unit went to a home on Ailanthus Avenue looking for the suspect. When officers arrived, the suspect brandished a shotgun, then fled by jumping from a second story balcony.

The suspect was chased to a home on Hennepin Crescent where he finally surrendered to police.



RAINBOW BRIDGE

Customs agents arrest wanted child molester

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have arrested a Wisconsin man wanted on a warrant for sexual assault of a child.

CBP officers were notified Friday by the Canada Border Services Agency that Chad James Smuhl, 43, of Strum, Wisconsin, was being deported from Canada and returned to the U.S. Smuhl had entered Canada on Oct. 2 at Pearson International Airport in Toronto and was detained by Canadian authorities due to his prior criminal history.

He was turned over to Customs agents at the Rainbow Bridge.

Smuhl was arrested on November 17, 2002, on charges of felony sexual assault of a child under the age of 13. He fled the U.S. for London, England, in August of 2003.

After he fled, Wisconsin authorities issued a worldwide warrant for his arrest. Still, Smuhl told CPB officers he lived throughout Europe, for the last five years, supporting himself by buying and selling items on the Internet.

Smuhl is currently being held by Niagara Falls Police pending extradition to Wisconsin.



Niagara Falls

• THEFT: Police are investigating an SUV break-in in the 400 block of 20th Street. A 25-year-old woman told officers that sometime between 8 and 9 p.m. Saturday someone broke into her 2006 GMC Envoy by smashing a front passenger-side window. The victim said a blank money order for $850 and a GPS system was taken.

• THEFT: Officers are looking into a car break-in in the 700 block of Eighth Street. A 20-year-old woman told police that sometime between 1:45 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday someone broke into her 2001 Dodge Neon by smashing a front passenger-side window. The victim said a snow brush was taken.

• ROBBERY: Police are investigating a robbery in the 1000 block of Portage Road. A 39-year-old woman told officers she was placing bags in her car at 1:45 p.m. Sunday, when three men approached her. The victim said one of the suspects grabbed her purse and ran away. The purse contained $876, a cell phone, some prescription medications and personal papers.

• BURGLARY: Officers are looking into a burglary in the 2800 block of 23rd Street. A 53-year-old woman told police that sometime between 10:15 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Saturday someone kicked in the front door of her apartment. The victim said $3,000 worth of jewelry and a computer monitor were taken.

• BURGLARY: Police are investigating a burglary in the 800 block of Main Street. A 23-year-old woman told officers that sometime between 6 and 7:45 p.m. Saturday someone broke into her apartment by forcing open the door. The victim said $350 was taken.

Wheatfield

• GRAND LARCENY: A Niagara Falls woman reported Saturday afternoon that she had her wallet stolen which contained her credit cards, license, $200 in cash and $300 in diner cards. She was at Save A Lot at the Summit Mall when she realized she did not have her wallet. HSBC contacted the victim to ask if she made purchases totaling $900 at Walmart in Amherst. She did not make purchaces and the card was deactivated. After the hold was put on the card, the suspects tried to use it at GameStop and Target in Amherst. A surveillance video showed two females trying to use the card, according to police.

City of Lockport

• CHARGED: Charles L. Warren, 46, 104 Gooding St. was charged with two counts of seventh degree possession of a controlled substance, aggravated unlicensed operation and disobeying a stop sign. Warren failed to stop at a stop sign at North Transit at 3:32 a.m. on Sunday. Warren had a suspended license and police found two bags of cocaine, according to the report.

• CHARGED: William A. Robinson, 47, 30 Phelps St. was charged with seventh degree possession of a controlled substance and an equipment violation. The police responded to North Transit at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday after three 911 hang-up calls. Robinson was seen leaving the residence leaving a white napkin on the ground. Police found a pipe commonly used to smoke cocaine. The substance tested positive for cocaine and Robinson was arrested and found with a pipe in his left shoe. Robinson passed out at the police station and taken to Lockport Memorial Hospital where he was treated and returned for questioning.

• CHARGED: Gregory A. Blanding, 42, 148 Olcott ST. was charged with second degree obstruction of government administration and resisting arrest. The patrol responded to the report of a suspicious person walking up and down Olcott Street talking to himself at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Blanding became irate and combative and was arrested.

• CHARGED: Evon A. Abraham, 43, 242 Chapel St., Apt. 2 was charged with second degree criminal contempt. Evon was arrested at noon Saturday at a Chapel Street address where there was a valid order of protection.

Newfane

• PETIT LARCENY: A Lockport woman reported Saturday that and unknown person took $200 from her purse which was left at the counter at the nurse’s station at the Newfane Rehabilitation Center.

Town of Lockport

• HARASSMENT: A Lake Avenue clerk reported that a male came into the store to purchase gas and blunts on Saturday afternoon. The suspect did not have identification and the clerk said he could not sell them without ID. The suspect became irate and began to yell obscenities at the clerk and threatened him.