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Citizens 'arrest' suspected thief
By Matthew Junker
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, March 20, 2003
An accused Fayette County burglar was left bloodied and battered Wednesday after seven passers-by spotted him exiting a broken window at a pharmacy and made a citizen's arrest.
Harley D. King, 26, of Lake Lynn, allegedly broke into the New Salem Pharmacy after 3:30 a.m. yesterday and took 15 bottles of the prescription pain reliever OxyContin, worth about $3,900, police said.
But when seven passers-by on their way to work noticed him escaping, he tried to run from them and the group made an "enthusiastic" citizen's arrest.
"How can I say this? … They effected the arrest on him," said state police Lt. Charles Depp, the Uniontown station commander.
King's face was still bloody and bruised when he was arraigned by South Union Township District Justice Rick Vernon nearly seven hours later.
Vernon jailed King in lieu of $100,000 bond.
King faces charges of burglary, theft, criminal mischief and two counts of drug possession.
Gregory L. Reynolds told police he heard an alarm coming from the pharmacy and saw a masked man exiting through a window, carrying a bag. When Reynolds pulled his truck to block King's escape on his quad cycle, King offered him $3,000 if he would let him go.
Six others on their way to work assisted in the citizen's arrest when King attempted to run and held him until police arrived. Terry Kader, Bobbie Jo Lloyd, Jhamel Scott, Henry Wooten, Robert Adams and James Ashby all told police a similar version of events as Reynolds'.
None of the good Samaritans could be reached for comment last night, but the owner of the pharmacy was vocal in his praise of their actions.
"I never knew we had such good people," said Joseph Serpento, who lives near the pharmacy he has owned for 50 years. "I know it now."
Serpento said there have been repeated break-ins at the pharmacy in recent years, but no arrests. He said he could not believe that people cared enough to intervene and stop the man in his tracks.
"I was overwhelmed," he said. "Every time this happened before, I'd have to wait 45 minutes for police to answer the call … how would you catch anybody then?"
He said there have also been many incidents of quad cycles being stolen in the area. "They steal quads and run wild," Serpento said. "They're getting away with it … People have to step up."
Another police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he approved of the arrest.
"That's good community involvement," he said, laughing.
Pharmacies have been targeted by thieves seeking OxyContin, a time-released pain medication for the severely ill which has become a popular street drug.
Users crush the pills and snort the powder to get all the drug dose at once.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/regional/s_124521.html
By Matthew Junker
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, March 20, 2003
An accused Fayette County burglar was left bloodied and battered Wednesday after seven passers-by spotted him exiting a broken window at a pharmacy and made a citizen's arrest.
Harley D. King, 26, of Lake Lynn, allegedly broke into the New Salem Pharmacy after 3:30 a.m. yesterday and took 15 bottles of the prescription pain reliever OxyContin, worth about $3,900, police said.
But when seven passers-by on their way to work noticed him escaping, he tried to run from them and the group made an "enthusiastic" citizen's arrest.
"How can I say this? … They effected the arrest on him," said state police Lt. Charles Depp, the Uniontown station commander.
King's face was still bloody and bruised when he was arraigned by South Union Township District Justice Rick Vernon nearly seven hours later.
Vernon jailed King in lieu of $100,000 bond.
King faces charges of burglary, theft, criminal mischief and two counts of drug possession.
Gregory L. Reynolds told police he heard an alarm coming from the pharmacy and saw a masked man exiting through a window, carrying a bag. When Reynolds pulled his truck to block King's escape on his quad cycle, King offered him $3,000 if he would let him go.
Six others on their way to work assisted in the citizen's arrest when King attempted to run and held him until police arrived. Terry Kader, Bobbie Jo Lloyd, Jhamel Scott, Henry Wooten, Robert Adams and James Ashby all told police a similar version of events as Reynolds'.
None of the good Samaritans could be reached for comment last night, but the owner of the pharmacy was vocal in his praise of their actions.
"I never knew we had such good people," said Joseph Serpento, who lives near the pharmacy he has owned for 50 years. "I know it now."
Serpento said there have been repeated break-ins at the pharmacy in recent years, but no arrests. He said he could not believe that people cared enough to intervene and stop the man in his tracks.
"I was overwhelmed," he said. "Every time this happened before, I'd have to wait 45 minutes for police to answer the call … how would you catch anybody then?"
He said there have also been many incidents of quad cycles being stolen in the area. "They steal quads and run wild," Serpento said. "They're getting away with it … People have to step up."
Another police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he approved of the arrest.
"That's good community involvement," he said, laughing.
Pharmacies have been targeted by thieves seeking OxyContin, a time-released pain medication for the severely ill which has become a popular street drug.
Users crush the pills and snort the powder to get all the drug dose at once.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/regional/s_124521.html
