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At least 10 vehicles were broken into this evening on Bank Street Road at the Batavia Sports Park. The victims of these "smash-and-grab" crimes are missing purses, wallets, jewelry, credit cards and more.

Mostly, side windows were smashed, but one vehicle had a rear window smashed.

The crimes were reported by an off-duty deputy. State Troopers are on scene now.

Although soccer and kickball games were under way at the park, no witnesses have been found.

In addition to these crimes, it is reported that overnight on the city's Southside, at least four criminal mischief complaints resulted from vehicle break-ins.

For tips that may aid in the investigation, State Police can be reached at (585) 344-6200.

UPDATE 9:45 p.m.: Using mobile phone tracking technology, State Police were able to locate three bags of purses in a dumpster at a hotel in Clarence off the Thruway. No suspects found.

A caller reports a child on a bicycle was struck by a Jeep in the area of East Avenue and Walker Place. City police, fire and medics responded.

This was initially reported as being at 34 Columbia Ave. Regardless, the victim is inside the residence at that address.

The vehicle was also described as being a gray van.

City fire is back in service. Police are speaking roadside with the driver.

UPDATE 5:13 p.m.: Medics are taking the patient to UMMC. He is described as 9 years old and complaining of right side pain and a bump on his head.

The people called two expert witnesses this afternoon in the Sean Vickers' trial to testify about child sexual abuse -- a pediatrician and a forensic interviewer.

Both established that the perpetrator who sexually abuses children is usually a relative or someone the victim knows well. A victim often doesn't report the abuse right away, sometimes never. Reasons for this include fear, guilt, threat of retribution, not wanting to be viewed as abnormal, et al. And obvious signs of sex abuse are overwhelmingly absent.

Dr. Jack Coyne, a pediatrician with an office in Batavia, helped establish the Child Advocacy Center here and in Erie County. He explained that these facilities provide a place for children to be examined and interviewed in a more comfortable environment than a hospital or police station.

"We help them know they are OK, their bodies are OK, Coyne said.

He testified that only 3 to 5 percent of all reported cases of child sexual abuse in the nation reveal definitive, physical proof that sex acts occurred. Examinations rarely detect lesions, for example. Unless there is pregnancy, the presence of a sexually transmitted disease, or obvious signs of rape, the objective aspects (physical facts) of these exams turn up nothing. It is in the subjective interviewing process that a sexual abuse diagnosis is most often determined, Coyne said, noting that half of all the sex abuse cases he's handled involve children under age 7.

He explained the seemingly illogical statistics by saying that, because the perpetrator is usually known, this person takes care not to be found out, to leave no evidence. Fondling was an example. Then he graphically detailed how sex acts can be performed without leaving physical clues and noted studies that show that orifices of the body are "very vascular" and can bleed lightly but then heal very quickly without scarring.

In the 2 to 3 percent of child sex abuse cases involving complete strangers, they don't care about injuries. Yet even then, Coyne said, the body heals swiftly and a couple weeks or months later, it's not unusual for physical evidence of a crime to be absent.

In April 2013, Coyne said he examined three children in this case (a 9-year-old boy and twin boys who are his cousins).

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman asked, if the objective part of the exam was normal, does that rule out sex abuse?

"Not at all," the doctor replied, adding that the key is whether the assessment is consistent with the history as described by the child.

Defense attorney Jerry Ader asked if it is correct that for each of the children's exams in this case, the objective findings provided no evidence of abuse.

Coyne said a doctor cannot divorce objective findings from the subjective ones.

In this case, Ader said, your findings don't prove sexual abuse occurred, to which the doctor concurred.

Under questioning by Friedman, the doctor reinterated the statistic that in only 3 to 5 percent of all cases of child sexual abuse is there objective -- factual -- physical proof.

Next on the witness stand was Katherine Colgan, who works at the Batavia CAC as a forensic interviewer of abused children. She has degrees in Education and Criminal Justice and said she has conducted thousands of victim interviews. She said she is a trained expert in the characteristics displayed by sexually abused children.

And they share several characteristics:

Secrecy -- They tend to keep their secret a long time because they are fearful of hurting their family and a person beloved by the family;

Fear -- There may have been a threat by the perpetrator to leave the family or perhaps the promise of safety for a sibling ("If you don't tell, I won't molest your little sister.");

Guilt -- For the acts that occurred; for the impact telling might have on the family;

Helplessness -- They are taught they must listen to whatever an adult tells them to do, obey;

Entrapment -- Because they feel helpless and that there is no way out;

Disassociation -- These are coping mechanisms they develop to exist in an abusive situation.

Adults, who might expect a child to come forward immediately and to be outraged, may be puzzled by the delay in reporting the abuse or that the disclosure was made in a mild, unconvincing manner.

She used the term "flat affect," a clinical term for a demeanor void of expression or emotion. Or, conversely, the child may giggle inappropriately, or "test the waters" of people's reactions by means of "incremental disclosure."

"Most abused children simply say 'I want the abuse to stop,' " Colgan said. "They aren't seeking revenge or punishment for the perpetrator. They just want it to stop."

Another response of these children is an attempt to rectract their accusations ("None of that happened. I made it up.") possibly because of external pressures or their concern about breaking the family apart.

"If they are not getting the support of the non-offending parent, they are more likely to recant or to not even reveal their secret in the first place," Colgan said.

Ader offered a simpler explanation. Could the reason for trying to recant the allegation or the delay in coming forward be that it simply was not true? That they were lying?

Yes, Colgan said, that could be the case.

As for incremental disclosure, Ader asked, could a reason for that be that the child is getting lots of attention, treats?

"It's possible," Colgan said.

How about peer pressure, Ader asked, could that be a factor?

Colgan said peer pressure works both ways, either to support telling the secret or to stifle it.

Friedman said earlier discussion had brought out that it's possible for the abused to still love the abuser and continue to spend time with that person. How is that?

Colgan said a published study in 1983 of this phenomena has now become commonly accepted as characteristic of sexually abused children.

The prosecution rested its case; the jury filed out, whereupon Ader made a motion to dismiss all the charges due to a dearth of evidence to sustain charges of a course of conduct of sexual abuse.

At that point, what at first portended to be a brief meeting on points of law and considerations for the jury, morphed into a confusing, arcane, back-and-forth exploration of the minutae of law, which at times resulted in oddly humorous moments and the scratching of heads.

Judge Robert C. Noonan ordered the lawyers to return to the courtroom at 9 in the morning to resume the discussion and the jurors are expected to return to their seats at 10 a.m.

The defense also rested its case.

Beforehand, the judge asked Vickers if he had agreed not to take the stand and testify on his own behalf. Vickers, standing, said softly, that yes he had agreed not to testify.

Four new witnesses were called to the stand when testimony resumed this afternoon in the child sex abuse case of convicted child molester Sean Vickers.

Though their testimonies were mostly compelling, defense attorney Jerry Ader managed to point out gaps in recollections, dates and other specifics in an effort to cast a shadow of doubt in the jurors' minds.

Among those who took the stand was a 25-year-old prisoner brought in by officers from another county. He wore a white shirt, tan pants, ankle shackles, and looked dead ahead from the witness stand.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman straightaway dispatched with the witness's criminal record. The man is serving time for criminal trespass and two counts of first-degree attempted sexual abuse of a minor. He pled guilty when he was 17 of unlawfully entering the home of an acquaintance and forcibly touching the genitals of two females, ages 7 and 11. He has served more than five years, out of a maximum of eight, and his third parole hearing is this fall.

Then Friedman asked about Vickers.

The alleged victim said he is one of five boys in his family, Vickers was an adult relative, and that from the time period of November 2001 to April 2002, Vickers had performed oral sex on him and vice-versa at least five or more times.

At that point, several of the jurors stared hard at Vickers. They were all paying attention.

On cross-examination, Ader honed in on the witness's credibility.

Ader contended that the witness has an ulterior motivation for coming forward now and telling about alleged oral sexual conduct with Vickers. The witness's time off for good behavior was voided due to problems during his incarceration. To convince authorities to give the credits back, and have that recommendation made at his third parole hearing in September, he's testifying today, Ader maintained.

In 2004, Ader noted, nothing was mentioned about oral sexual contact, nine years later it surfaces.

But upon questioning by Friedman, it was pointed out that the witness didn't reach out to police about Vickers, rather the police contacted the witness in order to re-interview him for this case about his contact with Vickers.

Next, Ader asked the witness if one someone had been removed from his mother's home. The witness said Child Protective Services had ordered Vickers to be removed from the home.

That's not the answer he was looking for, so he ignored the statement. He asked about one of his brothers. Was one of them was removed from the home?

"Yes."

"Were you ever told why?"

"No."

"Did you ever wonder why?"

"Yes."

Did (this brother) ever touch you inappropriately?"

"Yes."

The next witness was a 23-year-old brother of the first witness. Friedman questioned him about getting in trouble with the police. The young man told the jurors that in August of 2002 he got caught throwing rocks at the sand wash on Cedar Street and the cops took him to his house in Batavia. Only Vickers was there and they began arguing. Then the boy went in the basement to fold laundry. Vickers came down there and told him he was in big trouble. When the boy was standing against the washing machine, he said Vickers "touched my groin area...probably less than a minute. ... I ran upstairs. I was afraid."

From November 2001 to February 2004, Vickers sexually molested him on several occasions, the second witness said. Specifically, Vickers performed oral sex on him. The witness at this point appeared a bit uncomfortable, yawning nervously and wriggling about.

It was the dates of those instances that Ader parsed. How could he remember the dates? Are you saying you can remember this from 10 years ago?

The witness said he remembers the date of the time in the laundry room because it was the first real trouble he'd gotten into. The second time in which he recalled a specific date was because "it was Buffalo Bills day."

An exhibit was then entered into the court record -- an affidavit which he signed in May of 2013. It describes his run-in with police, arguing with Vickers about it, but nothing about sexual contact. It says he was 11, but he was actually 8 at the time. And the statement about an instance of abuse on Buffalo Bills day says he was 8, but he was actually 11.

"You really don't have a good memory about this do you?"

"No," the witness replied. "It's hard enough as it is."

Next the prisoner was recalled to the stand and simply asked if the alleged abuse occurred at the same address (the one his brother cited). "Yes."

The third witness for the prosecution testified that he knows one of the alleged victims, from another family, because his brother is married to the child's mother.

Last August, with Vickers behind the wheel, the third witness and his brother all went to the IMAX theater in Rochester to see a movie. The brother, having some knowlege of the alleged molestation, asked Vickers if he had been touching the child. The answer was yes. The brother said "stay away from our house." "Okay," the previously convicted molester replied.

This witness, too, has had legal problems. In 2009, at age 17, he entered guilty pleas to several misdemeanors, including stealing bicycles out of people's yards, shoplifting at Walmart, and more serious, providing alcohol to minors. He spent a year in jail and then was put on probation.

When Ader asked about the movie trip, he wanted to know if the radio was on, was it loud, since he had a cell phone with him -- why didn't he text and tell someone about Vickers' alleged admission of guilt?

The third witness said when he returned home that night, he did tell the child's mother.

The final witness was this child's mother -- a married woman who has two sons, ages 11 and 9.

She testified that from Spring 2012 to Spring 2013, Vickers often had contact with her family, as he was a relation by marriage. They went skiing, to movies, on picnics.

"He paid for things, like a Kindle Fire, rollerblades, bought Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, expensive things," she said. "At times he spent the night in our attic, it's finished, it's a bedroom. He slept on a pad on the floor."

The district attorney elicited that her sister has twin boys and they often spent nights at the witness's house as well, including about four or five overnight stays when Vickers was staying over.

The mother bit her lip repeatedly. Swallowed hard. Teared up.

She told the panel that today her youngest son has attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder; he is emotionally disturbed; suffers from anxiety; and has also been diagnosed with "behavorial defiance disorder."

Then she talked more about Vickers.

"Sean would pay for us (she and her husband) to go do things and he said he'd pay for it and he'd babysit."

And how many times did this type of arrangement occur? Friedman asked.

"Fifty times or more," she replied.

Ader asked if her brother-in-law had told her about the conversation he had with Vickers in the car on the way to the movies. Yes, she said. Ader asked if her youngest son had told her he had been "touched." No, she said.

By this time, the impassive, pale-faced Vickers started taking notes on a legal pad. He is diminutive, balding and gray in back; he wore a black suit. He is slight of chin and completely unremarkable in mien.

The last witness further testified that she had not alerted the police after her brother-in-law relayed the car conversation because she had already done so "long before."

The defense attorney's next line of questioning brought forth testimony that many guests came and went at her household, including one who had been convicted of providing alcohol to minors.

There were plenty of guests.

"More than I'd like," she said.

The case resumes tomorrow morning.

(Batavia PD Det. Kevin Czora also testified, simply that he investigated the case; no details.)

Tonight’s game between the Batavia Muckdogs and Williamsport Crosscutters has been postponed due wet and unsafe field conditions. This game will be made up as part of a double-header on Tuesday, July 29th. We will play two seven-inning games, with the first game starting at 5:05 p.m. Gates will open at 4 p.m. Any person with tickets to tonight’s game can exchange their tickets for any other regular season game, subject to availability.

The annual Onion Festival will be on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 8th and 9th at the Elba Firemen's Rec Hall, located at 7143 Oak Orchard Road. Lots of food, fun, friends and music. Bring the whole family to Elba's biggest event of the year!

Friday's hours are 5 p.m. 'til 2 a.m. and the main parade starts at 7 p.m. The parade route will be starting on West Avenue going south down Route 98 and ending at the Elba Rec Hall.

Saturday's festivities start at noon with the Kiddie Parade, and also end at 2 a.m. The Kiddie Parade begins at the corner of Ford Road and Route 98 and goes to the rec hall. All kids are welcome to attend. They can walk, ride a bike, drive a battery-operated four-wheeler or Jeep or whatever it may be, or be pulled in a wagon by mom or dad.

The crowning of the Onion Queen will be at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The drawing of the 2014 Ford Mustang (Courtesy of Orleans Ford), or $20,000 cash, will be at 11 p.m. on Saturday.

There will be ride specials both Friday night (7-11) and Saturday (1-5).

Savage Cabbage will be playing in the beer tent from 9 p.m. 'til 1 a.m. on Friday night.

Then Mac and Company will be playing in the beer tent from on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. and later, from 9 p.m. 'til 1 a.m., the Mercury Blues Band performs.

Press release:

St. Joseph Catholic School is now accepting nominations for the “Outstanding Alumni Award,” which will be presented at the 55th annual Popcorn Ball to be held on Oct. 25th at the school.

According to school officials, nominees should have achieved excellence in his or her field utilizing the foundations of Catholic Education, including service to the Church and the community. Past winners include Judge Robert Balbick, Dan Burns, a regional vice president at M&T Bank, and John Dwyer, former director of the Genesee County IDA.

The 55th annual Popcorn Ball will feature a wine dinner that will pair food from Alex’s Place of  Batavia with wine from Heron Hill. It is a semi-formal event that is open to the public. The event will include a DJ, Chinese Auction, 50/50 drawings, and a cash giveaway.

Nominations for the “Outstanding Alumni Award” will be accepted until Sept. 1st and can be submitted via the school’s Web site (www.sjsbatavia.org <http://www.sjsbatavia.org/> ) or submitted directly to the school, which is located at 2 Summit St. in the City of Batavia.

Tomorrow East Pembroke Fire District voters will decide whether to approve a proposal to build a new fire hall. That means spending taxpayers' money and an increase in taxes, but Fire District Commissioner Bill Lawrence says it is absolutely necessary to continue providing essential service the 5,500 residents in the 100 square miles of its coverage area.

The existing fire hall has served citizens well for more than 80 years. But it is rife with structural problems, according to code inspectors and engineers, who deem it insufficient for its current use.

The proposed fire hall would sit on land purchased by the district more than a decade ago that is a little bit east of the current location. The building would be 11,128 square feet and cost $3 million.

It would contain not only more room for existing fire trucks, but rooms for hose drying, decontamination and air packs. Lawrence describes the proposed building as basic, "by no means a castle."

For a district that has traditionally held the line on tax increases, the proposal might make some property owners wince. The tax assessment would go up from the current $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed value to a maximum of $1.98.

But that price factors in future inflation, new trucks, ongoing maintenance and other expenses.

"There won't be another tax rate increase for 20 years," Lawrence said.

The district, Lawrence said, has always tried to keep taxes down, even while always paying cash for new trucks and keeping its annual budget at $150,000 or less.

Now the district faces a situation where the fire hall must be replaced, but there's not enough money in the bank to cover all of the costs.

"Our feeling was to let the people keep their money," Lawrence said. "We've been asked, 'why didn't you increase the tax rate right along?' But we felt it was better to let people keep their money."

The former rec hall for the department sits under three bays that were built in the 1970s. The floor was designed to support only 14,000 pounds. The current trucks occupying those three bays weigh more than 45,000 pounds.

The 1930s era portion of the structure was designed to support only 8,000 pounds and it currently contains a 12,000-pound rescue truck.

Firefighting has changed a lot since the 1930s. Trucks have gotten bigger and the state has implemented ever more stringent and costly regulations. 

For example, new turnout gear for interior firefighters must be purchased every 10 years, at a cost of $3,500. New air packs must be purchased every 15 years and cost $6,500 each. The state requires all tires on fire trucks be replaced every 10 years, whether the tires are worn or not.

Recently, more and more residents have been putting steel roofs on their homes and barns. That presents a new firefighting challenge because the roofs are harder to access -- especially in frosty or wet whether -- to ventilate a fire (a key firefighting strategy).  

The increase in steel roofs means the district needs to buy a new ladder truck at a cost of $675,000.

The current fire hall is owned by the East Pembroke Fire Department and Lawrence said fire district officials feel it would be better for the district to own the fire hall. Building a new one will give the district the chance to correct that historic anomaly.  

The fire department would then sell the current hall.

The department goes out on nearly 300 calls a year and currently has 31 volunteer firefighters. The district projects growth in the area that will mean 400 calls annually by 2034 and the department will need 55 volunteers to operate.

There simply isn't room in the current building to upgrade it enough to accomodate that growth. But even just upgrading the electrical, the structural, the mechanical and making it handicapped accessible (which would be required under federal law) would cost nearly $1 million.

The public can vote at the fire station located at 2623 W. Main Road, East Pembroke. Polls will be open July 29 from 6 to 9 p.m.

For more information, download this flyer (pdf).

A car vs. pole accident is reported at Route 20 and Linwood Road. Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

A motor-vehicle accident with minor injuries is reported at 711 Sumner Road at the intersection of Harlow Road. Darien Fire Department and its ambulance are responding.

UPDATE 12:47 p.m.: Two children and the driver are injured.

UPDATE 12:49 p.m.: There are reportedly five injuries now. Mercy medics are called to the scene.

A car accident is reported at 3299 W. Main Street Road, just west of Wortendyke Road. The vehicle is on its side. East Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 11:04 a.m.: (from Howard at the scene) There is no vehicle on its side. A black sedan was eastbound on Route 5 and a FedEx truck was westbound. The truck attempted a left turn into a car dealership and allegedly did so in front of the sedan, causing the initial collision. Then the sedan veered into the car lot, hit a barrier pole and the front end of a car. The female driver was extricated and is being taken to ECMC by Mercy ambulance. She suffered a possible head injury, possible pelvic injury, and a face laceration. The FedEx driver was a sign-off. The truck has a damaged right rear panel and a flat left rear tire.

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 388.2. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 5:47 p.m.: Town of Batavia command reports the driver is out of the vehicle.

An investigation into an alleged assault which occurred in January 2013 resulted in the arrest Wednesday of a 29-year-old Le Roy native living in the City of Rochester. Kenneth G. Smith III, of 911 Lake Ave., was arrested by the Le Roy Police Department on July 23 and charged on two counts: criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, a Class-D felony; and first-degree assault, a Class-B felony.

It is alleged that on Jan. 10, 2013, Smith was involved in an altercation in an apartment on Main Street in the Village of Le Roy. Smith allegedly possessed a dangerous instrument in the form of a glass item with intent to use it against another (while having a prior criminal conviction). He then allegedly used it to strike the victim numerous times about the face causing permanent facial disfigurement/scarring. Smith was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and released under supervision of the Genesee Justice.

Michael J. Stack Jr., 37, of 7450 Randall Road, Le Roy was also arrested by the Le Roy Police Department on Wednesday. He is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual act, a Class-B felony.

It is alleged that yesterday, while in an apartment on East Main Street in the Village of Le Roy, Stack engaged in oral sexual contact with the victim while the victim was incapable of consent by the reason of being physically helpless and by forcible compulsion.

The charges stem from an allegation by the victim that the victim was sleeping and awoke to Stack kneeling over the victim having oral sexual contact with the victim.

Stack was jailed in lieu of $5,000 bail.