Published: July 21, 2009 11:39 pm      

First suspect charged in theft of machine parts

TIRE HILL — A Johnstown man was charged Tuesday in connection with the theft of more than $36,000 worth of machine parts from a Tire Hill company.

Daniel Daily, 20, of the 100 block of Leslie Street, was charged with theft, receiving stolen property and defiant trespass.

Five others, including a juvenile, are expected to be charged in the theft of 118 steel rotors from Northfork Grinding & Machining Inc., 1665 Tire Hill Road, said police in Conemaugh Township, Somerset County.

The rotors were stolen 10 at a time from May until Tuesday, police said.

The rotors, which weigh about 400 pounds each, were kept in an area near the business that was not secured because no one thought the heavy parts would be stolen.

“Who would have thought anyone could pick them up?” Northfork President Richard Jacobs said.

Police first thought the thieves used a forklift to carry away the rotors. It was later discovered they were picked up and hauled away in the back of a pickup truck.

“They lifted them one at a time,” police Chief Louis Barclay said.

Some of the items were sold to two Johnstown-area businesses, Rollock Inc. and ENF Recycling, police said.

Daily was taken into custody Tuesday with the assistance of East Conemaugh Borough police when he returned to Rollock to sell more of the rotors.

He was arraigned by District Judge Susan Mankamyer of Boswell and freed on $10,000 unsecured bond.

The rotors are used in the process of shredding tires.

The investigation is continuing, police said.