Abandoned hospital was bring stripped of copper, other valuable metals by a family from Syracuse until HPD arrived
By Andrew Harris, image from Google Maps
A code enforcement officer Bud Burdett noticed someone inside the now-abandoned former St. James on late Monday morning and immediately called the Hornell Police Department.
When police arrived they quickly found a 47 year old Syracuse man inside the building in the process of removing wiring and other valuables from the property. The suspect was arrested and admitted to officers that his wife and stepson were still inside the building.
HPD set up a perimeter around Canisteo Street property and waited. At 6pm the mother-son duo tried to sneak out of the building and were quickly arrested by officers.
Upon investigation, it was determined that the trio had traveled to Hornell from Syracuse with this criminal plot in mind. It isn’t clear what the trio’s connection to Hornell or the property is according to HPD.
Read the full arrest report below:
