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Poker Heisters Folding Their Hand

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THE END IS NEAR FOR THE FOUR MEN who staged the daring armed robbery at a major poker tournament in Berlin on March 6.  Our most unusual story so far this month was our REPORT HERE of the brazen daylight robbery that was caught on surveillance tapes, part of which we showed you here (click on the above link).

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They attempted to snatch $1.3 million, but a brave security guard tackled one of the robbers and recovered most of the loot, leaving them with barely over $300,000 for themselves.

It was disclosed yesterday by the German police that 21-yr.-old man turned himself in on Tuesday and after intensive questioning he admitted participating in the heist.   He then gave the authorities the names of the other three men, a 19-year-old German, a 20-year-old from Turkey and another 20-year-old of unknown nationality.

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Late last night (Wednesday) a 2nd man was taken into custody “without resistance” after presenting himself to two policemen working in a Metro station.  “In my opinion, the robbery on the poker championship in the Hyatt can be considered largely solved,” a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office said this morning.

The remaining two fugitives have been entered into Interpol’s files because the police think it is probable that they have fled the country and they have issued international arrest warrants for them.

For more information, read related stories HERE and HERE.

This video report from RTL News includes some surveillance video that was not in our earlier coverage:

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Posted by firegeezer on March 18, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos, crime • Tagged: , , ,

Another VFD Embezzled

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TWO MEMBERS OF THE CATTARAUGUS FIRE DEPARTMENT near Buffalo, New York, have been arrested and charged with stealing $30,000 to $80,000 from the department.

John Finnegan, 52, the treasurer of the VFD, and Edward Holtz, 39, a member of the department, were in charge of operating the Bell Jar Ticket Game, a fund-raising device.  Holtz pleaded guilty to 3rd-degree grand larceny, but Finnegan was scheduled to be brought back to court today  or another hearing.

WIVB-TV Ch. 4 has this video report:

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Posted by firegeezer on March 16, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, crime • Tagged: , , , , ,

Raleigh FF Nabbed in Sex Sting

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A RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, FIREFIGHTER WITH SIX YEARS on the job was arrested by Guillford County Sheriff’s deputies Thursday and charged with felony counts of Solicitation of a Minor by Computer to Commit an Unlawful Sex Act and Attempted Indecent Liberties with a Minor.

The sheriff’s office says that Richard Brandon Wells, 31, has been under surveillance for several months after he started communicating over the Internet with an undercover officer he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

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On Friday the Raleigh FD place him on suspension and he remains in jail under $100,000 bond.

The News & Observer has the STORY.

Posted by firegeezer on March 14, 2010 • Filed under: News, crime • Tagged: ,

Ford 2012 “purpose-built” police cruiser

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Carbon Motors created a great idea.
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In November 2008 we reported the efforts of Carbon Motors to create a purpose-built law enforcement vehicle (HERE)

A year later, we reported that General Motors was modifying the Australian-based Holder V-8 sedan to be a US Chevrolet Caprice Police cruiser (HERE)

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Finally, Ford has revealed it’s replacement to the 30 year old Panther-based Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.

Based on the Ford 500/Taurus chassis, the 2012 Ford Police Interceptor presents a competitive response to Carbon Motors.

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Ray Wert, Editor-in-Chief of Jalopnik, posted the most comprehensive report of the new cruiser (HERE).  Ray compares the interiors of all three vehicles:

We’re told by police forces who’ve already seen the vehicle that nearly 90% of the interior’s been redesigned specifically for police. Ford’s done little things — like installing the slimline shifter on the column to free up more console area.

The instrument panel includes a horseshoe shape for aftermarket equipment installations. It even appears they’ve thoughtfully provided standard 9″ spacing between the passenger and driver — just like the Crown Vic — so agencies can transfer existing aftermarket equipment to their new Police Interceptor.

Ford’s also supposedly redesigned the doors to make them open 71 degrees. That’s not quite as good as the Carbon Motors concept’s suicide doors, but not too shabby — and better than the Caprice PPV it’ll really be in competition with.  (read complete article HERE)

The end result of this competition for the annual purchase of 60,000 – 75,000 police vehicles will be a better rig for our law enforcement colleagues.  Plus a nice ride for fire command officers.

Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

Posted by fossilmedic on March 13, 2010 • Filed under: Law & Justice, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, cars, crime • Tagged: , , ,

They’re Still Falling For The Fire Marshal Scam

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IT’S NOT ALWAYS THE SAME PERSON pulling the scam, but it’s always the same story.  The  routine usually works this way:  A man dressed in what could be taken for a firefighter’s work uniform, or work jacket, walks into a business that has several employees and identifies himself as a fire marshal who is there for a routine inspection.

After he wanders around a while doing his faux inspection, he waits until everybody is busy with customers and then ducks into the offices where he rifles through the purses or petty cash boxes. 

One of these shysters is working in Chicago now and the Chicago Tribune reported:

The man was carrying a file folder with papers in it and wearing a blue jacket with the words “Chicago Fire Department” in white lettering on the back, police said. He told staff at the club that he was a fire inspector and proceeded to look around in what appeared to the staff to be a professional manner, finding fire extinguishers and looking for fire code violations, police said.

After the man had looked around for a while, he told staff at the club that there were some violations and that they owed $260 in fines, police said. The staff gave him the money, police said.

While the man was at the club, among the rooms he entered was one in which a purse had been set down; after he left, it was discovered that $300 was missing from the purse, police said.

This is the first one that we’ve reported on where the “inspector” asked for, and received, cash for payment of fines.

Back in September Firegeezer ran this VIDEO STORY about a similar operation in the Columbus, Ohio, area.

Posted by firegeezer on March 8, 2010 • Filed under: News, crime • Tagged: ,

Brazen Poker Tournament Holdup

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A GROUP OF ARMED ROBBERS CHARGED INTO a high-stakes poker tournament in Berlin, Germany, Saturday in a brazen attempt to steal the $1.3 million jackpot.

The four masked men armed with guns and machetes stormed into the tournament room at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz at 2:15 pm and made a rush for the money cache. 

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Over the next several minutes there was a brave resistance mounted by the security guards who managed to reclaim a large part of the jackpot cash that was in several bags.

Security cameras throughout the game room recorded much of the holdup and the crowd reaction.  This raw video from AP shows some of the footage:

Much of the tapes have not been released by the police who say that they believe they can identify the culprits from the videos.  They are not disclosing how much of the money ended up being taken, but have said it’s in the “low six-figures.”  A later report says that it was about $140,000.  A security guard who tackled one of the robbers was able to save a large part of the loot.

The Wall Street Journal reports:

Police officials said the robbers appeared to be less than professional. Detectives said they are reviewing video of the heist, which they said shows at least one robber who failed to wear gloves.

“We obtained fingerprints,” Mr. Gassen said.

Detectives said they are also reviewing surveillance video of the hotel and surrounding area. Police said they hope to trace the path of the robbers from the earliest possible on-camera sighting prior to the heist, until they made their getaway. Mr. Gassen declined to say whether police have clear pictures of the robbers without their masks.

“I am confident we will solve the case,” he said.

Read their full REPORT HERE.

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About 1,000 players are expected to participate in the 5-day tourney which was resumed about 4 hours after the holdup.

The Sun (UK) has more HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on March 8, 2010 • Filed under: News, Videos, crime, current events • Tagged: , , ,

Fire Captain Arrested on CyberSex Charges

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A CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA, (Las Vegas area) FIRE CAPTAIN HAS BEEN suspended without pay following his arrest Friday.  Martin Vohwinkel, 55, was charged with using technology to lure children for sexual purposes.  He had placed a Craigslist ad requesting a “casual encounter” with a young girl.  A Clark County detective picked up on the ad and responded while posing as a 14-yr.-old girl.

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Martin Vohwinkel

The Las Vegas Sun reported:

Vohwinkel told the “girl” he was 45 and sent a nude photo of himself standing in front of a mirror, police said. In a later photo, Vohwinkel’s face was displayed and he was wearing a firefighter’s uniform, according to the arrest report.

Vohwinkel asked the “girl” where he could pick her up and stated that he wanted to have sex, investigators said. They arranged to meet Friday morning in a Henderson parking lot. He offered to bring marijuana with him, which he referred to as “chronic,” police said.

When police arrived they saw Vohwinkel pulling into the parking lot driving a white Toyota Tundra with a firefighter sticker, police said.

At the scene, police called the cell phone number Vohwinkel had provided for the girl. His cell phone rang.

Read the complete article HERE.

KVVU-TV Ch. 5 has this video report:

Vohwinkel has been a member of the Clark County Fire Department for 29 years.

Posted by firegeezer on March 2, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Videos, crime • Tagged: , ,

They Needed a Good Beating Anyway

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EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, A KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, fire company was called for a stuck elevator in a downtown building.  While they were inside tending to the call, a car came careening around the corner, sideswiped the firetruck, and kept on going.

The FF’s called it in and gave a description of the car which was immediately dispatched to the patrols.  Soon, a car matching that description was seen driving erratically along the street and the police gave chase.  When the car pulled over, the two men inside were taken down and as the officers were starting to cuff them, one of the passengers tried to tackle one of the cops and the fight was on.  The fight was off just as quickly after a police dog latched onto them and convinced the strangers that they should stop.

After talking with the men and the firefighters, the police decided that they had been chasing the wrong car and it wasn’t the one that struck the firetruck.  That car hasn’t yet been found, but the two men went to jail anyway.

KCTV Ch. 5 has the video report:

Posted by firegeezer on February 28, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, crime • Tagged: ,

Thefts Plague Colorado Ambulance Stations

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THIEVES ARE HITTING AMBULANCE STATIONS in the Denver, Colorado, Metro area stealing narcotics and, in some cases, uniforms.  In the past few weeks they have broken into fire stations in four different jurisdictions, then broken into the locked narcotics cabinets and stolen IV bags containing Vercet, Valium, Morphine and Fetanyl.  Investigators believe that the stolen uniforms will be used to assist them to pose as firefighters and gain entry to areas normally not accessible to the public.

So far, they have hit two stations of the Westminster Fire Department as well as the Federal Heights Fire Department, North Metro Fire Rescue and the Clear Creek Ambulance Service.  In some cases, they have done the stealing while firefighters were in the building.

KDVR-TV filed this video report:
 

Posted by firegeezer on February 25, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Videos, ambulances, crime • Tagged: , , , ,

Another Stolen Ambulance

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AN AMBULANCE WAS STOLEN OUT OF THE STATION in Bemidji, Minnesota, Monday morning.  The Bemidji Ambulance Service unit was last seen at 3 am, but when an employee entered the bay at 6 am it was missing.  It was located at 7:30 am in another part of the city crashed into a utility pole.

The Bemidji Pioneer reports that:  Items were disturbed in another ambulance, but nothing appeared to be missing from that unit.  A search of the ambulance located (at the crash scene) revealed that a cell phone and GPS unit were missing. The locked narcotics container was accounted for, as was cash.

While utility crews were replacing the pole, a man with a head injury showed up and started asking a lot of questions about the wreck, so the police were called.  He was arrested on related charges and they found a GPS receiver and a cell phone on his person.  The BAS has identified the items as belonging to them.

Read the complete report in the Bemidji Pioneer HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on February 23, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Topics, ambulances, crime • Tagged: ,

EMS Leaders Investigated for Missing Drugs

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SPARSELY-POPULATED HICKMAN COUNTY, TENNESSEE, was rocked this week when it was learned that their two top emergency agency officials are being investigated for drugs missing from county ambulances.

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Emergency Management Agency Director Terry Cloud has been placed on medical leave without pay and the director of EMS, Michael Lynn, is on administrative leave with pay, according to Hickman County Mayor Steve Gregory.  When the suspicions were first brought to the attention of the county district attorney, she requested the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to look into the allegations.  When they have completed their investigation, they will give the D. A. their findings and she will determine what action to take.

NewsChannel5 Nashville provided this video report:

The TBIconfirms that the investigation is for taking prescription drugs from the ambulances for personal use.  Mayor Gregory made the decision to suspend the two employees while the investigation continues and he has assigned the assistant EMA director to temporarily run both agencies.

Posted by firegeezer on February 21, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Videos, ambulances, crime • Tagged: , , , ,

“And Laying a Finger Aside of His Nose…”

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“……AND GIVING A NOD UP THE CHIMNEY HE…..FAILED.”

A 23-yr.-old Seattle burglar, who takes things too literally, attempted to enter a mansion via the chimney Friday afternoon while the owners were away.  Unfortunately the young man wasn’t familiar with chimney things like, flue and damper.

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KOMO-TV

Just as he neared the end of his descent, he became stuck as the chimney narrowed near the bottom and he was left dangling with his feet projecting into the firebox.

Police believe he was stuck there for at least 3 hours before neighbors heard his screams for help and called 9-1-1.

When the PD and firefighters entered the house, they found him with his feet hanging from the chimney.  Using air chisels, the rescue squad dismantled the bottom of the chimney from inside to free the man who was soon dubbed the “Santa Claus burglar” by the homeowners.

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KOMO-TV

Nothing was stolen, thanks to an alert chimney, but the man had to be taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports:  “Investigating officers determined that the 23-year-old male suspect had no connection to the residence and had no legal right to be there,” according to a Friday night police statement. “Officers are guarding the suspect at Harborview and will be booking the suspect into the King County Jail for investigation of burglary upon his release from the hospital, which is expected soon.”

KOMO-TV has the STORY.

Posted by firegeezer on February 20, 2010 • Filed under: Rescues, crime, rescue • Tagged: , , , ,

Another Stolen Ambulance

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THIS TIME IT WAS WITH THE PATIENT STILL INSIDE.  A man jumped into the driver’s seat of an ambulance at a Wisconsin ski resort Monday and attempted to drive off.  The man who was obviously drunk didn’t realize that the two paramedics were in the back treating a patient when he began his journey.

The Dane County EMS unit was called to the Tyrol Basin ski resort for a knee injury to a high school competitor and they were tending to her when the episode began.

Nicholas Pontillo, 24, was arrested after a short foot chase and charged with several felonies.  The Dane County Sheriff issued this press release:

Madison, WI. February 9, 2010 – At approximately 5:20 pm on Monday, February 8th, Dane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Tyrol Basin ski area, located at 3487 Bohn Road in the town of Vermont.

The initial report was of an intoxicated man attempting to steal a Fitchrona EMS ambulance. When deputies arrived, Police Officers from Mt. Horeb had made contact with the subject, Nicholas A. Pontillo, age 24 of Lake Villa, IL.

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Fitchrona EMS had responded to Tyrol Basin, and was in the process of treating a patient in the back of the ambulance, when Pontillo got into the vehicle and drove around the parking lot.

Pontillo was subsequently arrested for Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Owners Consent, Disorderly Conduct, and Operating While Intoxicated. Pontillo also had two outstanding warrants from Kenosha County for Operating After Suspension and Failure to Notify Police of an Accident. He is currently being held in the Dane County Jail.

WKOW-TV Ch. 27 Madison filed this video report:

Posted by firegeezer on February 11, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Videos, ambulances, crime

Another Treasurer Goes Down

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THE FORMER TREASURER OF THE BRIARCLIFFE FIRE COMPANY in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, appeared in court Monday to answer charges that she embezzled more than $103,000 from the department. 

Lisa Butler enters the courthouse Monday (WPVI-TV)

Lisa Butler enters the courthouse Monday (WPVI-TV)

Lisa Marie Butler, 37, entered guilty pleas to charges of theft by deception and misapplication of entrusted funds.  Her attorney convinced the judge that her husband had no knowledge of the thefts and that the money was only used for normal household expenses.  The Delaware County Daily Times reports:

The theft became evident when in December 2008, Butler was suspended from the fire company over a fight she had with another member, according to officials.

Because of that dispute, Butler was required to turn over all of the fire company’s records including the company checkbook and it quickly became clear that something was amiss.

Butler told investigators she would “make up some non-existent fire company expense to write in the memo sections of the checks,” and that she then made the majority of the checks payable to herself.

Officials said there was a policy in place by the fire company that the checks required two authorized signatures, including Butler’s. She told investigators that she would have one of the officials — whose signature was required — to sign blank checks for “convenience purposes.”

According to the prosecutor’s affidavit of probable cause, Butler converted 35 checks to her personal use totaling $95,425 and additionally she made two withdrawals of another $8,000.

She remains free on $250,000 bond until her sentencing on March 8.

Read the entire article HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on February 2, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Law & Justice, crime • Tagged: , , ,

More “Easy” Money

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AND STILL  ANOTHER VFD TREASURER has been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.  In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Vicki Ann Messier, 35, used to be the treasurer of the Rawlinsville Fire Company until an audit disclosed that most of the department’s money was gone and unaccounted for.  This past Wednesday the State Police arrested and charged her with embezzling $168,884 from the department.

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Vivki Ann Messier
(Rawlinsville Fire Company photo)

Most of the money was stolen between 2005 and 2009 when the officers first discovered that not only had their bills not been paid, but the checking account was depleted.  The Lancaster Intelligencer Journal reports:

Fire company officials first learned there was a problem in July when they tried to buy equipment, food and fuel from local businesses but were told the fire company had past-due balances, fire company President Charles Grimasuckas said. The fire company did an internal investigation, then notified state police about the lost funds at the end of July.

Messier had presented fictitious financial reports to the volunteer fire company’s board at monthly meetings and kept false ledgers for years without being detected, Grimasuckas said.

Instead of sending out approved checks to vendors, Messier shelved them and made out checks to herself, police said.

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WHP-TV image

The fire company’s insurance carrier will pay for the loss and they have also instituted new safeguards to better protect their accounts.  About five active members have left the department out of disgust with what happened.

Read the full story in the Intelligencer Journal HERE.

WHP-TV Ch. 21 has this video report (includes views of RFC apparatus):

Posted by firegeezer on January 30, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos, crime • Tagged: , , ,

Juvie Jail Bust-out Aided by Fire Chief’s Truck

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THE MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, SHERIFF disclosed that Sunday night two teenage boys at a “juvenile diversion” camp ran away from the facility by stealing a pickup truck that is owned by the Big Pine Key Fire Department.

The 2006 Chevrolet HD2500 was parked at the fire station and used by the VFD’s chief.  The  boys admitted that they found the key to the truck hidden inside the gas filler cover.  They were first missed by the camp staff at an 11 pm bed check, but they waited a couple of hours to see if they’d show up before notifying the sheriff’s office.  Later, at 4 am a report came that the truck had been stolen and putting 2 and 2 together, the sheriff put out an area-wide lookout.  In a short time they were located and taken into custody 90 miles away.

The Florida Keys News has the full STORY.

Posted by firegeezer on January 27, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, crime • Tagged: , ,

Suspended Fire Chief Retires While Under Investigation

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Paul Barth

Paul Barth

THE McMAHAN FIRE DISTRICT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY, suspended their fire chief Paul Barth two months ago on November 24.  He had been accused of mishandling or appropriating department funds for his own personal use, including using the FD credit card to pay for lavish cruises and other vacations, his property taxes, and other personal expenses.  Shortly after his suspension, a local charity, the Crusade for Children whose bank account was controlled by Barth, found out that he had used the charity’s funds to pay off the fire department’s credit card balance.

Now the Secret Service is involved in the investigation.  Friday afternoon Barth announced his retirement from the fire district after 35 years and his lawyer says that his decision to retire has nothing at all to do with the charges against him.

WHAS-TV Ch. 11 Louisville has this video report:

The fire district claims that Barth owes the department $70,000 from his thievery.  In respose, Barth has offered to pay the fire district $12,000, but he claims that he doesn’t owe them any money.  Last week the governing board for the Crusade for Children removed Barth from their organization.

The Louisvile Courier-Journal has the latest STORY.

Posted by firegeezer on January 24, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Videos, crime • Tagged: , ,

Another Treasurer, Another Missing Thousands

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A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY IN BALDWIN, PENNSYLVANIA  (Allegheny County), started noticing some financial discrepancies last year.  After doing some self-auditing, the Option Independence Fire Company uncovered a problem with their treasurer and turned the information over to the police.

After a forensic investigation going back two years, Sharon Bommer, 44, was arrested last month and charged with theft by taking and criminal mischief.

WTAE-TV Ch. 4 Pittsburgh filed this video report:

Bommer had been secretary – treasurer at Option since September 2005.  The extent of her thievery is not known, but they have uncovered enough misfeasance to bring these charges.  She is scheduled to appear in court on February 5.

Posted by firegeezer on January 23, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fire-ology, News, Videos, crime • Tagged: , , , ,

Ex-Paramedics Nabbed for Stealing Drugs

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TWO FORMER PARAMEDICS FROM SANTA FE, TEXAS, were arrested Tuesday night when they were caught in the act of burglarizing an ambulance in the station where they used to work.  It is believed that they were trying to plunder the controlled-drug box.

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Amanda Grigg (left) and Heather Bemrose

Amanda Grigg and Heather Bemrose started their adventure Tuesday evening by calling in a fake 9-1-1 report for a man down.  They deliberately reported it in a manner that would upgrade the call to a joint police and ems response because the police station is across the street from the ambulance station.  After the dispatch, the women entered the station and started to break into the drug box.  As it turned out, the ambulance returned sooner than they were expecting and the crew interrupted their activity.

KRIV-TV Ch. 7 Houston prepared this video report:

Grigg has been charged with burglary of a motor vehicle, possession of dangerous drugs and false alarm or report. She’s being held on $8,000 bond.  Bemrose has been charged with burglary of a motor vehicle and false alarm or report. She’s being held on $6,500 bond.

The Galveston Daily News has the details HERE.

Santa Fe (Texas) Fire & Rescue WEBSITE.

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Santa Fe Rescue Station 1
(SFF&R website photo)

Posted by firegeezer on January 21, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Videos, ambulances, crime • Tagged: , ,

Smith & Wesson Veep Nailed in International Bribery Sting

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A VICE PRESIDENT OF FIREARMS MANUFACTURER Smith & Wesson, and a former Secret Service deputy director were among 22 people rounded up and arrested yesterday following Federal indictments charging them with engaging in schemes to bribe foreign officials.  Amaro Goncalves, vice president of sales at Smith & Wesson, and R. Patrick Caldwell, chief executive officer of Protective Products Of America Inc. and a former deputy director of the Secret Service, were among those who were charged.  Twenty-one of the accused were picked up at a national firearms convention in Las Vegas and the other was arrested in Miami.

Bloomberg News reports:

About 150 FBI agents searched locations in Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia in the case, the Justice Department said. The U.K.’S City of London Police executed search warrants in connection with investigations in England.

The defendants engaged in a scheme to pay bribes to the minister of defense of a country in Africa, according to the indictments. In fact, the plan was part of an undercover operation, with no actual involvement of any government official or the country, the Justice Department said.

The defendants allegedly agreed to pay a 20 percent “commission” to a sales agent who they believed represented the African official, to win part of a $15 million deal to outfit the country’s presidential guard, the government said. The “sales agent” was an undercover FBI agent, prosecutors said.

The investigation has been underway for 2-½ yrs. and is continuing.

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation issued the following statement Tuesday:

Through media reports today, we became aware of the Justice Department enforcement actions which were taken yesterday and which made reference to an employee of our company.  We have no information beyond what has been reported and are prepared to cooperate fully with law enforcement in their investigation into this matter.

Courthouse News Service has more details of the case along with individual identifications of all 22 defendants HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on January 20, 2010 • Filed under: Guns, News, crime • Tagged: , , , , ,

More Crime and Punishment

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THE FORMER CHIEF OF THE LeROY FIRE DISTRICT in western New York was sentenced yesterday to serve 90 days in jail and be on probation for 5 years for stealing from his FD.

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Stephen C. Smith

Stephen C. Smith was chief of the all-volunteer department from 2004 until January 2008 when he was arrested after a police investigation revealed he used the department credit card to make purchases for himself, used department gasoline for his personal car and added a personal cellular phone onto the district bill.  This past October, following a plea-bargaining agreement Smith pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree forgery in exchange for dropping several other related charges which included two counts each of first-degree tampering with public records, second-degree forgery and falsifying business records, and one count each of defrauding the government, grand larceny, and official misconduct.

WIVB-TV Ch. 4 Buffalo has this brief video report on yesterday’s action:

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The Batavia Daily News has the STORY.
LeRoy Fire District WEBSITE.

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A MATHEWS COUNTY, VIRGINIA, GRAND JURY HANDED DOWN an indictment yesterday (Tuesday) charging a retired Virginia state trooper with stealing more than $100,000 from the Mathews County Volunteer Fire Department. 

WTKR-TV Ch. 3 Norfolk reports:

Paul J. Reardon, described by his neighbors as a “law-and-order” guy and an upstanding member of the community, will face two felony charges. State police search warrants obtained last week by NewsChannel 3 show Reardon, the only person with access to the fire department bank accounts, wrote several checks to “cash” and made other unauthorized withdrawals in 2009. The warrants said new leaders on the fire department’s board discovered the missing money, asked for an investigation, and fired Reardon.

Tax records also obtained by NewsChannel 3 show Reardon prepared and signed the returns for the fire department that show the organization was in financial trouble, operating with a $183,000 deficit. The tax records also show the cost of fire-and-rescue service in Mathews jumped $119,000 in a single year. State police said the amount stolen from the fire department last year was $110,000.

Earlier this month, police seized the fire department’s account records from Bank of America and Chesapeake Bank, both in Mathews, as well as Reardon’s personal account records. Police also seized boxes of records from Reardon’s home.

Reardon had served as the VFD’s treasurer for 30 years.

WTKR-TV also filed this video report:

Posted by firegeezer on January 20, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Law & Justice, News, Videos, crime • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Cincinnati Nut Tries To Steal Fire Engine

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A CINCINNATI ENGINE COMPANY AND A MEDIC unit responded Thursday afternoon for a medical call.  When they arrived on the scene, a man came out of the house and began acting very strangely and not cooperating with the medics’ attempt to evaluate him.

When he continued his act, they called the police for assistance.  While they were waiting for PD, the man jumped into the cab of the fire engine, locked the doors and tried to drive away.  He revved up the engine several times, but didn’t know the sequence to put the truck in gear.  The police arrived quickly and got him out of the cab and into the handcuffs.

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WLWT-TV image

Makhtar Fall, 23,  was taken to a hospital psychiatric ward for evaluation and then transferred to jail where he has been charged with felony theft along with resisting arrest.  Fall has been arrested several times in the past five years for an assortment of petty crimes.

The Cincinnati Enquirer has the DETAILS.

Posted by firegeezer on January 15, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, apparatus, crime • Tagged: , , ,

Brazen, Bumbling Bank Burglars Update

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YESTERDAY WE BROUGHT YOU the story about the bumbling bank burglars in Paris, France, who were the big losers of the day.  You can review the STORY HERE where you will see the early report and some photos with a video.

We now have some updated information and a “reality” video for you.  Recall that these doofuses tried this at 1:30 Monday afternoon, right in the open.  It turns out that they weren’t trying to use the car as  battering ram on the door, but instead used it to knock the outside ATM off its moorings.  The dumbo-duo managed to get a money container free, but you will see that they failed at that, too.  It appears there was not a torch involved, but the car was damaged in the crash causing a broken fuel line.

With everything happening in broad daylight, there was an interested crowd of onlookers including one who had his video camera with him and recorded the entire spree.  Watch this video and you will see that the crooks toss the money box into the car just as it explodes into fire, causing the guy to back out in a hurry leaving the money behind to burn up with the car.

Then you’ll see their failed attempt to start the “getaway scooter” (see the earlier story for those details), followed by their aborted attempt to carjack the double-parked car across the street. 

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That other case you see them carrying is believed to contain a pistol.  Their moneybag is empty as they flee down the street on foot.

Posted by firegeezer on January 12, 2010 • Filed under: Fires, News, Videos, crime, fire • Tagged: , , ,

Bumbling Burglars Baffled at Bank

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HAPLESS BURGLARS ARE FOUND EVERYWHERE.  Today (Monday) they showed up in Paris, France, where the banks are closed on Mondays.  Thinking they could just smash their way into the bank, grab a bunch of loot out of the drawer and make their getaway, they put their plan into action.

Parking their “getaway scooter” out in front of the building at 1:30 pm this afternoon, the 2 men then brought a Peugot sedan to the site and putting it in reverse, they smashed the little sedan against the front door.  When that failed to make an entry, they took out a cutting torch and tried to burn their way in.  But the torch set the car on fire instead.

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All photos via Le Point

Grabbing their still-empty bag and being watched by a curious crowd of onlookers, they ran to the getaway scooter, but it wouldn’t start. 

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 Next they tried to commandeer a car being driven by a 50-yr.-old man, but when he got out of his car he apparently took his keys with him and they failed to get it started, too.  By now they were getting desparate and the fire brigade was on the way.  They were last seen running down the street.  Police have a description and are looking for them.

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Le Point has the story HERE and also presented this brief video:

Posted by fireball on January 11, 2010 • Filed under: Fires, Videos, crime, fire

Not a Safe Place to Be

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GUNSHOTS AND ARSON MARKED THE HIGHLIGHT of the day in a Chicago, Illinois, apartment building Friday night.  It all began around 10 pm during a domestic dispute when a man refused to let his woman friend leave her apartment, detaining her with a handgun.

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Chicagoist.com

The police arrived, set up a protective barricade at the apartment and began a period of lengthy negotiations.  After about 2-½ hours, the woman tried to escape by running out the front door.  While fleeing, the man shot her, critically injuring her.  She then bumped into a policeman causing him to discharge his weapon and shoot himself in the leg. 

Other officers returned fire on the man who then ran back into the apartment and jumped through a closed window, cutting himself and running down the fire escape where he broke into a 2nd-floor apartment and started a fire before finally being captured.  The  fire spread to two floors and went to two alarms, destroying six units on two floors.  By the time it was over 3 hours after it all began, 20 people were left homeless. 

WFLD-TV has this video report that sums it up:

Both the policeman and the victim were hospitalized in critical condition.  The criminal, who turns out to have a lengthy record, is also hospitalized for his injuries from going through the window.  He has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated arson and aggravated battery with a firearm.

The Chicago Tribune is carrying the STORY HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on January 10, 2010 • Filed under: Fires, Videos, crime, fire • Tagged: , , ,