Police: Paramedic sold stolen ultrasound machines on eBay

The Pennsylvania State Police arrested veteran paramedic Juan Torres on multiple counts of felony theft.

Torres, 44, from Glenolden is charged with stealing multiple state of the art portable ultrasound machines and selling them on eBay, specifically the Sonosite Titan Ultrasound machines.

"It looks like he sold up to, possibly, 15 ultrasound machines and the one in our case was valued at about $35,000," State Trooper John Sunderlin said.

Police say Torres' asking price on eBay for the machine was under $7,000.

They traced one stolen from Riddle Memorial Hospital to a doctor in Argentina.

In June 2009, Torres worked as a paramedic at Riddle.

Riddle officials reported their Sonosite Titan missing during that same time frame.

Main Line Health owns Riddle and the Paoli Hospital, where two ultrasound machines were reported stolen in late October 2007.

According to eBay records, at least one of those Sonosites went up for sale on eBay a few days later.

Torres also worked at a private ambulance company located in Feasterville, Bucks County. The criminal complaint says that gave Torres access to Doylestown Hospital's emergency room where two Sonosite ultrasound machines were stolen last spring.

Police have traced both to sales on eBay from a seller called bioteched.

"Everything was related to his eBay account; investigation showed that through those eBay accounts, we were able to trace who he sold the ultrasound machines to," Sunderlin said.

As Torres headed to the Delaware County Prison Wednesday night, his bail was set at $50,000 with State Police still looking for up to 10 more ultrasound machines he allegedly advertised on eBay.

Vernon Odom

2 accused of assaulting Pa. hunter arrested in Mo.

FRACKVILLE, Pa. - October 7, 2010 -- State police say two teenagers accused of attacking and robbing a hunter on state game lands in eastern Pennsylvania have been arrested in Missouri.

Police at the Frackville barracks say 18-year-old Philip Hemminger, of Black River, N.Y., and 19-year-old Andrew O'Connor, also from New York, were taken into custody Tuesday in Rolla, Mo. Police allege they were trying to pawn stolen merchandise, including guns stolen from Watertown, N.Y.

Police say both have been charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, theft and arson, among other crimes, and they face charges in Missouri.

Authorities say the teens left New York earlier this month and traveled to Pennsylvania, where their vehicle became disabled. Police say they then attacked a 32-year-old Tamaqua man who was archery hunting nearby. Police say they struck him with their weapons Saturday night, took his cell phone and drove away in his truck.

Hemminger's father, Philip Hemminger Sr., told The Associated Press that his son was being held on $400,000 bail. He said the family had been praying for the arrest of the two so neither they nor anyone else would come to harm, and he wanted to offer his deepest apologies to the hunter who was assaulted.

A listed number for O'Connor could not be found Wednesday.

Raging fire consumes South Philadelphia apartment building

Raging South Philadelphia apartment fire

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SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - October 7, 2010 (WPVI) -- A massive fire that tore through a South Philadelphia apartment building has been placed under control.

The flames broke out just after 5:30 a.m. Thursday on the 2000 block of S. 4th Street, near McKean Street.

Heavy smoke was seen when firefighters arrived. However, the smoke quickly escalated into uncontrollable flames.

Crews rescued some occupants on an upper floor. Philadelphia police rushed at least one occupant to the hospital.

There is no word on the severity of their injuries.

The building contained 11 units. Residents claim they heard no fire alarms, but were awoken by police and firefighters banging on their doors to evacuate.

The fire was placed under control at approximately 7:17 a.m.

The Red Cross temporary shelter at the Horace Furness High School had to be evacuated due to excessive smoke. It was relocated to Sharswood Elementary School, located at 2nd and Wolf Streets.

Classes at Furness H.S. are cancelled today due to smoke.

There's no word on a cause of the fire at this time.