By JOHN M. HOOBER III, Staff
A Lancaster man fought off an armed robber at his Cabbage Hill home, another city man was the victim of safecrackers, and a taxi driver was robbed just outside the city this past weekend, police report.
No injuries were reported from the three incidents, and no arrests have been made.
A report of an attempted robbery sent Lancaster police to a home in the 600 block of St. Joseph Street shortly after 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
The 52-year-old homeowner told Officer J. Hatfield that a gunman had entered his home through a rear sliding door, which had been closed but was not locked.
The would-be robber had a covering over his face. He held a handgun and demanded money from the homeowner, Detective Lt. Kent Switzer said.
The armed man got nothing because the homeowner pushed him back out the sliding glass door. Before leaving, the would-be robber struck the victim in the face with his hand, Switzer said.
The homeowner was not hurt. Police believe the gunman had a male accomplice who stayed in the backyard during the incident. Both men fled from the area.
At 4:22 a.m. Sunday, police got word that a taxi driver had been robbed in the Bridgeport area.
Carl Griffin, 36, told East Lampeter Township police he had been sent to the 100 block of Highview Drive, near Cedar Manor East Apartments to pick up a fare.
Two men got into the back seat of Griffin's Friendly taxi, and one of them stuck a handgun against the driver's temple, Officer Doug Jaquith said.
The men stole an undetermined amount of money and jewelry from the cab driver, Jaquith said. They then fled on foot in an unknown direction.
Also over the weekend:
• Burglars entered a home in the 400 block Winthrop Drive in the city's southwest area on Saturday afternoon and stole $5,650 worth of items, most of which were taken from two safes, police said.
The stolen loot included four handguns valued at between $200 and $500 apiece, and an unknown amount of ammunition and magazines for the weapons.
Two of the guns were 9-mmm semi-automatics. The others were a Glock .357 semi-automatic, and a Cobray .350 semi-automatic, police said.
The also burglars grabbed stocks, a $1,000 engagement ring, two other rings, loose change, a 32-inch television, and an X-box system while they were inside the home between noon and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.
The burglars might be two men who were seen walking in the area with a shopping cart, police said.
• Burglars also broke into a residence in the 700 block of Marietta Avenue, between West Orange Street and College Avenue.
The victim, a 21-year-old man, told Lancaster police he left his home at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday. When he returned about an hour later, a Sony PlayStation3 system was missing along with PlayStation3 games and controllers. The total loss was about $860, police said.
• A 32-year-old man appeared to have been stabbed when police found him slumped over a fire hydrant early Sunday morning at Laurel and Union streets. Police believe the stabbing occurred outside a restaurant in the 400 block of South Prince Street.
Officers found the apparent stabbing victim shortly after 4 a.m. He had two half-inch cuts on the right side of his body, and a head wound, police said.
Police said the victim was intoxicated and could not provide investigators with much information. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
• A hit-and-run accident investigation led to a drug seizure Saturday night at a southwest Lancaster home.
The accident happened in the 600 block of Hilton Drive. The victim followed the alleged hit-and-run vehicle and found it parked outside a home in the 800 block of Marjory Terrace, Officer Jonathan Caple said.
Nathaniel Hurricane Fuields, 41, of 851 Marjory Terrace, was the alleged hit-and-run driver. While talking to Fields at his home, police spotted two shoeboxes that contained 91!-W grams of marijuana, two digital scales, seal-able plastic bags, wrapping papers, and cigarette-rolling paper, Caple said.
Caple charged Fields with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, a hit-and-run violation, and driving without a license.
Staff writer John M. Hoober III can be reached at jhoober@LNPnews.com or 481-6027.
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