Staff Reports
Niagara Falls
Teen arrested for armed robbery
A 13-year-old Niagara Falls boy was charged with first-degree armed robbery and petit larceny after he threatened a pizza delivery man with a shotgun and stole $54.
Police responded to the call shortly after midnight Thursday and were told by the victim he had just delivered a pizza in the 1300 block Ashland Avenue. He said he was walking back to his car when he was approached by an unknown male. The suspect took out a shotgun and told the victim “drop the money on the ground or you will get shot.”
The delivery boy dropped $54, and the gunman took it and fled the scene on foot.
During the investigation, police discovered the suspect may be hiding inside 1346 Ashland Ave. After detaining several youths inside the home, the shotgun was found on the second floor and the suspect was found hiding on the third floor.
The youth, who told police he was 13 years old, was positively identified by the delivery man and placed under arrest. His name was not made public due to his age.
Niagara Falls
• ARREST: Belinda A. Vanderberg, 41, 479 20th St., was charged with second-degree assault with a weapon at 2:21 p.m. Thursday after she reportedly cut a man with a kitchen knife during a dispute. The victim suffered a 2-inch laceration on top of his head. Vanderberg was still in the house when police arrived on scene and was taken into custody following an investigation.
• ARREST: Jorge J. Lopez, 50, 646 Seventh St., Apt. 9, was charged with driving while intoxicated at 11:42 a.m. Thursday. He was found asleep behind the wheel of a vehicle that was running but parked in the 3900 block of Buffalo Avenue. Lopez refused to take a breath test but failed several field sobriety tests, police said.
• THEFT: A North Tonawanda woman told police she was shopping at Super Walmart, 1540 Military Road, at 11:30 a.m. Thursday when a man “snatched” her one-caret diamond engagement ring from her and then ran out of the store. The victim said she was taking the ring off because it was bothering her finger at the time the man took it. The ring was valued at $1,500.
• BURGLARY: A 82nd Street man reported that someone entered his home between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday and stole a Nintendo Wii gaming system, valued at $200, $75 in change and an undisclosed amount of jewelry. Entry is believed to have been gained by breaking a back door. A nearby window also was broken.
City of Tonawanda
• WARRANT: Kevin P. O’Donnell, 37, 6301 Inducon Drive East, Sanborn, turned himself in Thursday on a warrant for petit larceny. He was released on his own recognizance.
