MAHANOY CITY - Two men were jailed and a juvenile is facing charges after the three were involved in a strong-arm robbery and assault Friday in the borough.
Mahanoy City police Patrolman Thomas Rentschler said the robbery occurred about 8:20 p.m. in the 200 block of West Pine Street.
Austin Lee Creamer, 18, of 107 E. Mahanoy Ave., Mahanoy City, and Joseph A. Lumia, 20, of 431 W. Centre St., Mahanoy City, were each charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and aggravated assault, all felony offenses, as well as misdemeanor crimes of corruption of minors, theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and prohibited acts.
Both men were arraigned by an on-call magisterial district judge and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post bail.
Rentschler said a 15-year-old involved in the incident is facing identical charges, with the exception of corruption of minors, and was lodged in a juvenile detention facility pending a hearing.
Rentschler said officers were called to the area for a report of three males assaulting a 17-year-old boy.
Police learned the victim had been walking west on West Mahanoy Avenue when he was confronted by Creamer, Lumia and the 15-year-old. The three asked the 17-year-old about a stolen gas mask from days before, but when the teen denied knowledge of it, the 15-year-old punched him in the face, Rentschler said.
Rentschler said the victim ran to a friend's house at 202 W. Pine St., where he knocked on the door. However, the three alleged attackers caught up with him, pulled him off the porch and threw him to the ground where they started kicking him in the ribs and punching him in the face.
The attack left the 17-year-old with lacerations to his left arm and swelling to his left cheek and rib cage areas, Rentschler said.
The officer said one of the three alleged attackers then grabbed a drawstring bag the 17-year-old was carrying and, in the process, knocked the victim into a Jeep causing him to hit his head.
Inside the bag was a cellphone and charger, house keys, a necklace key ring, pocket knife and cigarettes, all valued about $160.
After a brief search, Creamer, Lumia and the 15-year-old were located in front of Creamer's home and taken into custody.
The owner of that property turned over a bag to police that the three placed in the house, Rentschler said, adding that the victim then identified the bag and its contents.
Rentschler said the 17-year-old boy was taken to a local hospital by family members for evaluation of his injuries.