During a break from Tuesday’s budget workshop, city leaders discussed various topics, including one City Councilman’s unusual visit last Friday.
While working at his kitchen table, two women had appeared on his doorstep, and, moments later, went around to his garage door, apparently shivering from the sub-zero windy temperature and begging to come inside. Their vehicle had broken down, and they needed a place to stay while they awaited a ride.
“One of the girls was screaming and crying, her hands were purple,” Councilman John Canale said. “I was trying to be a good Christian.”
Yes, perhaps hindsight has served him up a different answer for next time, but, especially on the heels of December’s massive blizzard and the need to shelter so many people in need, Canale did what he thought was the right thing by allowing the young women to warm up in his home.
Once inside, they asked to borrow a coat, and then went back outside to smoke a cigarette, he said. They came back inside before Canale noticed a sheriff’s, city police and unmarked vehicle each parked on the street. The ladies took off, and he called the police to ask, “are you chasing two girls?” Yes, they were.
What he didn’t realize was that their vehicle hadn’t broken down. The Rochester residents had apparently instead recently been at Pawn King in Batavia, which had filed a complaint of theft, prompting the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office to respond. The women allegedly fled the scene in a U-haul van and ended up at a cul-de-sac on Pickthorn Drive, where they abandoned the van, Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said.
The Sheriff’s Office and Batavia Police Department responded to the general area in the city and conducted a manhunt, Heubusch said, also using the tracking abilities of the K-9 unit.
“It took approximately an hour to locate the women from the time they fled their vehicle on foot,” Heubusch said. “K-9 Batu was utilized to track the individuals, successfully locating them inside an outbuilding after tracking them through several backyards.”
Breanna Brummond, 31, and Brittany Hollaert, 26, both of Rochester, are each charged with petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor, attempted grand larceny 4th degree, a class A misdemeanor and criminal trespass 3rd degree, a class B misdemeanor. Both women were issued appearance tickets, Heubusch said.
Hollaert was also charged with several traffic offenses “as she was identified as the driver of the van,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
‘There were several items recovered in the van which we suspect are stolen property and are working on identifying,” said Chief Deputy Joseph Graff, of the Sheriff's Office. “We are still investigating this incident and may have some further charges.”
The women had attempted to take the coat and a car key fob from Canale’s home during the incident, he said.
Heubusch cautions residents against letting strangers inside their homes.
“I know it is difficult to ignore people who may be in need of assistance, but I would advise residents to contact 911,” he said. “A patrol will be dispatched and assist the person if they are truly in need.”
It’s a lesson learned, Canale said. From now on, he will make sure to get proper identification before ever allowing a stranger into his home, he said.
