CLEARFIELD – The trial for a Curwensville man accused of stealing over $7,000 from the Curwensville Moose ended abruptly Thursday.
Edward C. Hockenberry, 63, was charged with burglary, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, all felonies, after an incident at the club’s building on 945 Bailor Rd., on July 29, 2019 when someone entered the building and left with $7,600.
District Attorney Ryan Sayers explained that President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman declared a mistrial after one of the witnesses gave information that was not admissible.
Sayers said that it was something they could not just tell the jury to disregard. “We could not unring that bell”.
A new jury will be selected and the case set for trial at a later date.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the Moose’s manager reported that sometime after they closed on July 28, 2019 and before they opened the next day, someone entered the bar and removed the cash from a back room.
Because there was no force used to enter the building, the manager stated that it had to be someone with a key and the code for the alarm, which did not go off at the time of the theft.
Hockenberry was one of only nine people who knew the code due to the fact he was the ex-manager. He also still had a key and knew where the money was kept. Hockenberry was reportedly removed from that position due to money issues.
The evening before the theft, Hockenberry was in the bar for a long period of time, the current manager stated.
A review of the video surveillance footage showed Hockenberry in the bar until 9:45 p.m.
After the bartender closed and set the alarm, a man appears by entering one of the front doors, police said.
Although the man covered his face with a blanket, his clothing which matched Hockenberry’s from earlier that evening, was visible from the stomach down.
This man disarmed the alarm, went to the area where the cash was kept and then out the main door, all within two minutes.
The bartender told police that after she closed up and left the bar, she went to a local convenience store before returning to the camp site next to the Moose building.
When she returned, she saw a car in the parking lot that Hockenberry drives that had not been there when she left. It was parked where Hockenberry normally parked.
On July 29, 2019, police spoke with Hockenberry at his home where he denied being at the Moose the night before and said he had not stolen any money.