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In Focus: Don’t our seniors deserve more?

Abington Council of Governments talks audit, plans first responders event

BEAR CREEK TWP. &#8212; A man on his way to work while traveling on state Route 115 allegedly spotted a masked man picking up wads of cash along the roadway early Monday morning.State police at Wyoming later learned William James Shaw, 31, of South Grant Street, Wilkes-Barre, got the money while burglarizing the Indian Lake Inn and damaging an automated teller machine and a jukebox, according to charges filed.Shaw, known as &#8220;BJ,&#8221; was arraigned Monday by District Judge Paul Tupper in Kingston on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, theft and receiving stolen property. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $30,000 bail.Charles L. Laird, 57, of East Northampton Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with being Shaw&#8217;s driver. Laird was jailed for lack of $30,000 bail on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal conspiracy to commit trespass, receiving stolen property and scattering rubbish.According to the criminal complaints:A man traveling to work passed a man wearing a mask or a bandana walking and running in the area of Indian Lake Inn at about 3:30 a.m. The passerby slowed down and spotted the man picking up cash from the roadway and passed a pickup truck with its four-way flashers turned on.As the passerby stopped along Route 115 to call 911, the pickup truck passed him.State police said the witness approached the pickup truck and saw the passenger throw items out the window along Route 115.Plains Township police stopped the truck allegedly driven by Laird and occupied by Shaw.Laird allegedly told state police he was sleeping in his truck when Shaw asked him for a ride to the Indian Lake Inn where a friend was to give Shaw money. While waiting for Shaw to return to the truck, Laird allegedly discharged construction debris along the roadway, the complaints say.State police said they found pry marks on an exterior door and a smashed window at the Indian Lake Inn. Inside, an ATM was damaged and a jukebox pried open and its cash box stolen.Several $1 bills were found along the roadway, state police said.

Cops: Burglary suspect seen picking cash from roadway