CITY OF TONAWANDA

Man accused of stealing monuments

After nearly a year and a half, City of Tonawanda police have found the man they believe stole two stone markers from the Historical Society of the Tonawandas just one day before a Veterans Day celebration.

James A. Ramsey, 42, 128 Fletcher St., Apt. 6, was charged Sunday with petit larceny for the theft, which outraged community members and veterans organizations.

On the morning of Nov. 11, 2008, society member Dick Dutton arrived at the circle of 26 stones early to make sure all of the American flags were in place for a ceremony. He found that two were missing and called police to report the theft. Investigators thoroughly searched nearby roads and backyards, to no avail. Months of subsequent police work turned up few leads. Last July, after months of holding out hope for the stones’ return, historical society members accepted Elmlawn Cemetery’s offer to replace the stones.

Early this month, new information led police to Ramsey’s apartment, 200 feet from the historical society. Lt. Fred Foels said Ramsey initially denied being involved in the theft and invited police to search his apartment.

Once that search turned up neither of the stones, officers questioned Ramsey further. Foels said Ramsey continued to deny that he had anything to do with the theft but eventually told officers that he threw one of the stones onto the railroad tracks near East Niagara Street. The other, Ramsey claimed, is at a campground in Brookville, Pa., where his father lives.

When asked why he stole them, Ramsey told police he was “pissed at America,” according to reports.



TOWN OF TONAWANDA

Bizarre escapade ends in drug arrest

A town man was arrested early Saturday morning on drug charges after his friend ran screaming through a neighborhood naked.

Police were called just after midnight to locate a man who had jumped out of a window and run away screaming. Officers interviewed Joseph R. Saulter, who said his friend had appeared to be having a seizure before stripping completely naked and leaping out the front living room window.

While taking that report, officers received another call of a man beating on doors nearby, followed shortly after by a final call of an unwelcome guest. Police located the man inside a woman’s home, sitting nude on a couch in the living room. He had cuts all over his body and was bleeding profusely on the floor and couch.

The homeowner told police she answered the door after hearing the man scream that he needed help, then watched him run into her home before calling police.

After being treated by paramedics, the wounded man told police he had been smoking crack at Saulter’s house when he developed an overwhelming fear that he couldn’t explain. He was taken to the Erie County Medical Center for treatment.

Officers then returned to Saulter’s house to question him about what happened before his friend ran away. Saulter admitted to smoking the crack and then hiding the pipe in his cat litter box before calling the police, the report said. Officers recovered the pipe and a plastic bag containing white powder. Saulter was released on an appearance ticket.



BORDER

CPB officers arrest man with fake documents

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have arrested a Nicaraguan citizen on charges of false statements and misuse of a passport.

Officers said Roxanne Ariza, 33, attempted to enter the U.S. on Sunday as a pedestrian on the Rainbow Bridge. Ariza claimed to be a citizen of Mexico and presented a valid Mexican passport as proof of citizenship.

She told CBP agents she was in the process of becoming a landed Canadian immigrant and she intended to return to Canada. As part of the Canadian immigration process, an immigrant must depart Canada and then return to process their paperwork.

Record checks by officers showed that Ariza had visited the U.S. embassy in Mexico City in February 2007. At that time, Ariza tried to obtain a U.S. entry visa by presenting a fraudulent Mexican election card as proof of citizenship.

During questioning at the bridge, Ariza admitted she was not a citizen of Mexico but rather a citizen of Nicaragua. She also said she fraudulently obtained her Mexican passport by purchasing a Mexican birth certificate bearing her true name. She said she believed it would be easier to get entry into Canada as a Mexican Citizen.



Niagara Falls

• BURGLARY: Police are investigating a burglary in the 800 block of 24th Street. A 71-year-old woman told officers sometime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday someone entered her home by an unknown means. The victim said two gold chains were taken.

• BURGLARY: Officers are looking into a burglary in the 800 block of 24th Street. A 43-year-old woman told police sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Monday someone entered her home by an unknown means. The victim said two flatscreen TVs, a Wii game system, an iPod and some prescription medication was taken.

• BURGLARY: Police are investigating a burglary in the 400 block of Third Street. A business owner told officers sometime between 1:20 and 9:30 a.m. Monday someone broke into his bar by breaking a window on an entrance door. The victim said a safe, a camera and a quantity of cash was taken.

• BURGLARY: Officers are looking into a burglary in the 3100 block of Buffalo Avenue. A Seneca Niagara Casino employee told police sometime between 9:40 and 10:30 p.m. Sunday someone broke into a warehouse by kicking in a door. The employee said two 65-inch flatscreen TVs, valued at $4,320 each, were taken. Investigators say they have video of the suspects.