State police in Huntingdon County reported the arrests of three people after incidents on Friday including an attempted theft of a vehicle with an infant inside it.
Police said the three suspects, 35-year-old Norman Dean Clugston, 19-year-old Cody Alan Bertres, both of Huntingdon and 20-year-old Bridget Anne Bark went into the Huntingdon Wal-Mart and purchased a silver BB gun to simulate a real weapon to use in future crimes.
The trio later attempted to take a Ford Explorer that was left running while it was parked at 84 Lumber. Clugston was unable to open the door and the three fled the scene. An infant was inside the vehicle, but police said the suspects were unaware of the child and only learned about the baby inside the vehicle after their arrests.
After the incident at 84 Lumber, the trio traveled a short distance south onto Fairgrounds Road to the Allensville Plaining Mill and stole a truck that was unlocked and had keys inside it.
The suspects fled the mill, but panicked when they saw a trooper in a marked vehicle turn around in a bar parking lot to respond to the report of the incident at 84 Lumber. The suspects abandoned the truck a short distance south of the mill.
Police said they learned that after acquiring a vehicle the suspects intended to go on a robbing spree to obtain money to purchase heroin.
A Dodge mini van was spotted on State Route 453 and later stopped at the Pinecroft exit by Tyrone, Bellwood and Hollidaysburg-based state police. The mini van was occupied by Clugston and two known females from Huntingdon that were not involved in the earlier incidents.
Clugston was taken into custody. Police said Bertres was also taken into custody, but it was not clear from the police reports where his arrest happened. Police also issued a warrant for Bark and she was apprehended in Huntingdon and transported to the Huntingdon County state police barracks with the assistance of Huntingdon Borough police on Saturday.
Bark was placed in the Huntingdon County Jail in lieu of $50,000 straight bond. Police said bond for the other two suspects was also set at $50,000 straight.
As of an updated press release issued on Sunday, police said the theft of the truck from the mill had yet to be reported. The owner of the truck was being urged to contact state police in Huntingdon County at 627-3161.
