Waynesburg men accused of theft
WAYNESBURG – Two Waynesburg men have pointed the finger at each other for a theft that occurred July 13 in Franklin Township.
Steven Eugene Hodgson, 24, of 172 Tollgate Run Road, and Timothy Allen Hilverding, 25, of 240 S. Cumberland St., are charged with stealing a chainsaw from a porch on Montgomery Street.
Hodgson went to the residence of David Conley, 1455 Montgomery St., Waynesburg, July 13 offering to mow Conley’s lawn for $20. After completing the task and receiving payment, Hodgson left.
A short time later, Hodgson returned to the Conley residence with Hilverding. They knocked on the porch door but Conley’s wife, Linda, who was home alone with the couple’s children did not answer the door. When Hodgson and Hilverding left, she noticed a chainsaw was missing from the porch.
According to a criminal complaint filed before Greene County Magisterial District Judge Glenn Bates, Hodgson told state police he and Hilverding went to the residence the second time to offer to do more work. Hodgson said when Conley did not answer the door he turned around and saw Hilverding holding the chainsaw. He said he told Hilverding not to take it but he took off running. Hodgson said he became scared and ran with him.
When police interviewed Hilverding, he said it was Hodgson who grabbed the chainsaw and ran with it. Hilverding told police Hodgson dropped the chainsaw in the parking lot of the Dollar General store and Hilverding picked it up and continued running with it. Hilverding said he took it to a residence on Sugar Run Road where he tried to sell it but it wouldn’t run so he threw it into the weeds. He led police to where he threw the chainsaw and it was recovered and returned to the Conleys.
David Conley later informed police the chainsaw was no longer in operating condition and had to be replaced.
A preliminary hearing for Hodgson and Hilverding has been scheduled at 10 a.m. April 17 before Bates.