CITY OF TONAWANDA

Wannabe cop busted by real ones

A City of Tonawanda man who likes to pretend to be a cop was arrested Sunday evening by real police officers.

Police have charged Vincent T. DelPriore, 23, of 94 Harriet St. upper apartment, with a felony charge of impersonating a police officer, concluding an investigation stemming from an incident that happened July 20 at the Young Street Tops Markets.

This is not the first time DelPriore, who is a volunteer firefighter with Delaware Hose Co. No. 2, impersonated an officer in his white 1998 Ford Crown Victoria — which closely resembles the city’s main unmarked traffic vehicle — police said.

“Who knows how many other times we don’t know about this kid did this,” said Lt. Fredric Foels, a police spokesman. “How many other people did he pull this prank on?”

On the afternoon of July 20, DelPriore pulled into a front parking spot at Tops and immediately approached a 21-year-old black male who was waiting in front of the store for his girlfriend and her mother, who were pumping gas before heading back home to Erie, Pa. He refused when asked by DelPriore to empty his pockets.

Police located DelPriore Sunday evening at the Tops on Niagara Street and brought him in for questioning. His girlfriend also was interviewed and said he likes to “act like a cop” by tailgating motorists, getting them to pull over, then laughing when they do.



Niagara Falls

• BURGLARY: Police are investigating a theft from the 400 block of Fourth Street. A 62-year-old man told officers that sometime between July 21 and 2 a.m. Monday someone broke into his garage. The victim said a lawnmower and a gas grill were taken.

• BURGLARY: Officers are looking into a burglary in the 500 block of 70th Street. A 45-year-old man told police that sometime between 4 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday someone broke into his garage by forcing open a door. The victim said a sander, a drill, assorted tools, a weed-wacker, a sausage maker and a bow with arrows were taken.

• BURGLARY: Police are investigating a burglary in the 500 block of Fourth Street. A property manager told officers that sometime between 9 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Monday someone broke into a vacant property by forcing open a side door. The manager said $1,100 worth of copper pipe was taken.

• BURGLARY: Officers are looking into a burglary in the 600 block of Niagara Street. A patrol officer noticed that the front window of a convenience store was smashed sometime between 1:45 and 3:45 a.m. Monday. The store owner said 70 packs of cigarettes and 80 lottery tickets were taken.

Cambria

• HARASSMENT: Nicholas S. O’Callaghan, 25, 5412 Baer Road, Sanborn, was charged Thursday night with second-degree harassment. A woman told deputies she was talking on her cell phone in a parking lot on Ridge Road when O’Callaghan slapped her on the buttocks, leaving a large red welt and causing significant pain. O’Callaghan was released on his own recognizance and is due Aug. 12 in Cambria Town Court.

Wheatfield

• DWI: Karen Lee Drew, 36, 2080 River Road, Niagara Falls, was charged early Saturday with DWI. Deputies saw Drew stumbling from her car in a parking lot on River Road. She said she and her boyfriend had consumed one and a half bottles of champagne at dinner and had an argument. Drew failed several field sobriety tests and registered a 0.19 percent blood alcohol content on a breath test. She was held in lieu of $750 bail and is due today in Wheatfield Town Court.

City of Lockport

• RESISTING: Rodney W. McGilverly, 32, 39 Harvey Ave., was charged early Monday with second-degree obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and disobeying a stop sign after a 12:15 a.m. traffic stop on Genesee Street. He allegedly got out of the car and refused to get back in when ordered to by officers. McGilverly allegedly refused to put his hands behind his back to be handcuffed. He was held in lieu of $500 bail.

• DWI: Paul R. Sylvies, 44, 2176 Florence Drive, Apt. 2, Ransomville, was charged early Monday with driving while intoxicated, failure to keep right, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, failure to signal, unsafe backing and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Officers reportedly saw Sylvies in a green Grand Am backing into Fletcher Alley and driving partially on the sidewalk. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but Sylvies allegedly continued onto Phelps Street. Officers stopped him on Phelps Street. Sylvies allegedly failed several field sobriety tests. Officers searched the vehicle and reportedly found several blue pills in plastic wrap. Sylvies allegedly admitted to buying the pills in Buffalo. He was held without bail and is due Tuesday in Lockport City Court.

Town of Lockport

• RECKLESS: Michael G. McGraw, 21, 4939 Chestnut Road, Newfane, was charged Friday morning with reckless driving, speeding, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and driving without a proper license after a 1:46 a.m. traffic stop on South Transit Road. McGraw was allegedly going 78 mph in a 45 mph zone on his motorcycle and did not have a proper license. He is due Aug. 19 in Lockport Town Court.

• ANIMALS: A Mallard Drive woman reported Saturday that someone placed a bowl of antifreeze next to a vacant trailer nearby. The woman said her cat is sick, and she believes someone did this intentionally to hurt her cats.

• VANDALISM: An employee of Refuge Temple Church on Cottage Street reported Sunday that someone damaged a church van that was parked on Lincoln Place. The rear window had been shattered, apparently by someone punching it out, the report said. There was a small amount of blood on the window. The damage is estimated at $350, the report said.