Teens Arrested in Connection to Robbery
Harborcreek – The Pennsylvania State Police based in Erie have arrested two 15-year-old boys in relation to a smash and grab burglary at a tobacco store in Harborcreek. Last Wednesday, February 1st, at about 3:20AM two males wearing hoodies and masks smashed their way through the front door of the store on Buffalo Road using a golf club and a baseball bat and then took some merchandise from behind the counter and fled the scene toward Cook Avenue. It was information from the public that led to the arrest of the two suspects the next day, anyone with more information should contact Trooper Eric Conroe at (814)898-1641.
Be wary of Super Bowl LVII Scams
Harrisburg – The Office of Pennsylvania’s Attorney General is warning residents of the state that they should be on the lookout for Super Bowl ticket scams. The Office of Consumer Protection under direction of Acting AG Michelle Henry has offered some guidelines for anyone looking to buy tickets to the big game this Sunday:
*Watch the websites you visit. As a consumer, you should not click on banner ads or pop-ups on a legitimate website (like StubHub or Ticketmaster) that may take you to a different website. You lose all protections and guarantees once you leave a legitimate website in favor of discounted tickets or other promises somewhere else.
*Review your cart before checking out when purchasing tickets through a website. Many online ticket resale platforms will charge fees at checkout. Review your purchase prior to hitting the final checkout button for any additional charges and fees added to the final purchase price.
*Be cautious of using search engines to find potential ticket sellers. Less reputable websites offering ticket sales will ramp up advertising before events like the Super Bowl, increasing their website traffic. Stick to websites you are familiar with, and read the URL of the website you visit. Scam artists often make minor changes to an actual website’s URL to bring a false sense of legitimacy to the website – a practice known as spoofing. Look for spelling or grammatical mistakes – a tip-off to fake websites.
*Avoid buying tickets from someone you have not met. Don’t buy tickets from a seller you don’t know. Always try to conduct any ticket purchase in a safe, well lit area. Consumers can also search for “Safe Transaction Locations” online. Police stations provide an environment for safe transactions.
*Be wary of sellers asking for payment in gift cards, money orders, cryptocurrency or wire transfers, especially over the phone. Consumers should use their credit cards when possible to protect themselves from scammers and fraud.
Snow Plow hits State Vehicle
McKean Township, Erie County – A crash involving a commonwealth vehicle and a PennDOT snow plow is being investigated by police. A PennDOT snow plow and a Jeep Patriot belonging to the state collided on Reichart Road in McKean Township, Erie County shortly before 3AM on Saturday morning. It’s unknown if the driver of the Jeep was injured in the crash, but they were taken to UPMC Hamot by ambulance. The State Police based in Girard say that they are investigating the incident further.
Special Elections Determine PA House Control Today
Allegheny County – Three special elections taking place today, all in Allegheny County, will decide who ultimately holds the majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Democrats are heavily favored to win all three seats, which were vacated by democrat incumbents, but if Republicans can win just one contest they would have control of the chamber. In the 32nd District, Democrat Joe McAndrew is running against Clayton Walker for the seat vacated by the death of Tony DeLuca. The 34th District was vacated when Sumer Lee was elected to the United States House of Representatives and its contest is Republican Robert Pagane vs Democrat Abigail Salisbury. The 35th District has Democrat Matthew Gergely running against Republican Don Nevills for the seat left empty after Austin Davis was elected Lt. Governor.