Albion fire damages businesses extensively
ALBION – A fire extensively damaged a building housing businesses on Hamilton Street early Monday, Orleans County officials reported.
Albion firefighters responded to the alarm at 1:54 a.m. at 158 Hamilton St. The large commercial building formerly housed an Agway store, before being broken up into smaller businesses. The fire was brought under control at midmorning.
Walmart employee charged in theft of $3,160
NIAGARA FALLS – An employee was charged Saturday with third-degree grand larceny for allegedly taking money from her cash register during the past two months at the Super Walmart, 1540 Military Road.
Deshia E. Mason, 30, stole money from a register 12 times since July 4, a total of $3,160, police said. Police said the store provided video surveillance.
Falls house fire began in first-floor bedroom
NIAGARA FALLS – A two-story home at 556 20th St. was heavily damaged by fire and smoke shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday.
The blaze started in a mattress in a first-floor bedroom, fire officials said. The house was unoccupied at the time.
Niagara Falls Fire Department Capt. Thomas Etopio said that the first floor was heavily damaged and that smoke damage occurred throughout the house. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Damage was estimated at $9,000.
Falls man’s throat cut at convenience store
NIAGARA FALLS – A South Avenue man’s throat was cut in an attack just after 1 a.m. Friday.
The victim, 46, was taken by ambulance from his South Avenue address to Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo, where he underwent surgery. Police said he suffered a large cut that extended from his upper ear to his throat, and lost a lot of blood and tissue.
The man told authorities he was attacked at a convenience store. His injuries were described as not life-threatening. His name and condition were unavailable Monday.
Police said they found traces of blood in the South Avenue address and on a sidewalk leading to 11th Street but could not determine where the attack occurred.
Loaned car may have link to Falls violence
WHEATFIELD – A Rebecca Drive man said that in exchange for drugs, he loaned out his car, which was never returned but may have played a role in a shooting and melee outside a Pine Avenue bar early Sunday.
The 27-year-old man told Niagara County sheriff’s deputies Sunday that he loaned the 2008 Lincoln MKZ in exchange for $60 worth of crack cocaine a few weeks ago.
Niagara Falls Police Capt. William Thomson, chief of detectives, said Monday that the car was found abandoned and undamaged on Ashland Avenue but may have been used in the melee that broke out about 3 a.m. Sunday at a Pine Avenue bar in Niagara Falls.
Antonio Porter, 36, of Niagara Falls, was shot in the hip in front of the bar, between 15th and 16th streets, and two others fleeing the scene were injured by a passing car.
None of the injuries was life-threatening, police said.
$250 stolen from wallets as woman leaves home
NIAGARA FALLS – An Elmwood Avenue woman lost nearly $250 Saturday when someone emptied out two of her wallets, police said.
The victim had invited friends to her home and left briefly at about 3:45 p.m. to go to a nearby store.
Upon returning about a half hour later, she found two of the guests in her bedroom and an empty wallet in the corner of the room.
Another wallet that had been inside a drawer also was emptied of money, and the woman’s cellphone was missing, police said.
Narcotics taken in break-in at Family Health Center
MIDDLEPORT – Narcotics were stolen Sunday during a break-in at the Middleport Family Health Center, according to the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.
A roof and dropped ceiling were damaged in the break-in at the facility at 81 Telegraph Road, deputies said. An unspecified amount of hydrocodone and oxycodone was stolen, deputies added. The loss and damages were estimated at $830.
Big-screen television PlayStation 3 stolen
NIAGARA FALLS – A Welch Avenue woman was robbed of her big-screen television and video game console early Saturday while she was out with friends, police said.
The victim told police she left her home at about 12:30 a.m. and returned a little over three hours later to find that someone had forced open her apartment door and taken her 60-inch TV, as well as her PlayStation 3 system. The stolen items were valued at $900.