The Subject Took a Collection Box for Wildfire Victims

Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard announces 44-year-old William Szalay of Newstead turned himself in at the urging of an acquaintance after they viewed a video and still photos of the incident.

On December 9, Deputies were dispatched to a 7/11 convenient store at 10655 Main Street in Clarence for a report of an individual taking a donation box for victims of the California wildfires.

Deputies secured in-store surveillance video, and the Sheriff’s Office posted the video and still photos of the incident and the subject.

On December 27 at approximately 6:20 P.M., Szalay turned himself into Deputies at the Clarence Substation.  The subject provided a statement to Deputies, and he was later released on appearance tickets for Clarence Town Court.

The defendant is charged with one class-A misdemeanor count of petit larceny.