MILTON — A Milton teen tried to stuff 21 bags of heroin into the seat cushions of a police cruiser after she was arrested Thursday following a home invasion, borough police report.
While Holly Harnden, 19, and Joseph Polizzi, 23, were the victims of the home invasion at their 437 N. Front St. apartment, they were arrested on narcotics and other charges.
Two of the alleged home intruders were also arrested, charges are pending against a third and police are searching for a fourth.
Milton police responded to a report of an assault and home invasion around 4:45 p.m. Thursday at the apartment shared by Harnden and Polizzi.
Four men fled after police arrived, including Williamsport residents Harold Griffin, 27, of 817 Hepburn St., and Lamont Terrell Cowan, 29, of 813 Diamond St., Milton Detective Dan Embeck said.
Griffin and Cowan had forced open the door to the apartment started hitting him, Polizzi told police.
Polizzi told police the men took $80 in cash, his and Harnden’s identification cards and his cell phone, then fled north in a silver Saturn driven by Ezekiel Rodarte, 33, of Watstontown.
According to court documents, Rodarte was in the apartment at the time of the home invasion to buy heroin from Polizzi.
With the help of Lewisburg, Watsontown and Williamsport police, and state troopers, Milton police apprehended Griffin and Cowan in Williamsport.
The men targeted Polizzi and Harnden over a debt of more than seven bricks of heroin, valued at about $7,000, police said.
Griffin and Cowan were charged with multiple felony counts of theft by unlawful taking, robbery, burglary and simple assault. Both have been placed in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Charges are pending against Rodarte and a fourth man is still being sought, Embeck said.
Polizzi was arrested for his alleged role in the heroin sale to Rodarte, and Harnden for allegedly providing police with false identification because she is wanted on unrelated charges in Northumberland County.
After she was taken into custody, Harnden admitted to possessing 21 bags of heroin that she attempted to hide in the seat cushions of the police cruiser in which she was being transported, Embeck said.
Polizzi and Harnden were charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy. Harnden also was charged with providing false identification to law enforcement.
Both are in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail.
Harnden was connected with a Watsontown home invasion in 2008. She was charged with two felony counts of hindering apprehension and prosecution of another for hiding prison escapee Robert E. Hines, who along with another man was charged in August 2008 for breaking into the home of a Watsontown family and holding them at bay with a gun and knives while robbing them.
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Teen tried to hide heroin in cruiser, Milton police say
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