METRO DIGEST || Attempted robbery at Austintown Marc’s

Attempted robbery

AUSTINTOWN

Austintown detectives are investigating a purported attempted aggravated robbery that took place in the parking lot of Marc’s plaza at Mahoning Avenue and Idaho Road at 1 p.m. Monday.

The assailant approached the victim as the victim was getting out of his van.

“He tried to strong-arm him out of his wallet,” said Detective Jordan Yacobone, who is investigating the incident. The victim resisted, and “pulled what looked like a stun-gun,” Yacabone said. “He didn’t get the wallet, and he ran off,” Yacobone said.

Drug, robbery charges

YOUNGSTOWN

A Boardman man wanted on two warrants was arrested after officers said he was threatening a woman at a home at 39 Hilton Ave. about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Police were called to the home for a fight and found Brandon Bell, 20, who was wanted on several warrants. He tried to drive away but was stopped a short distance away, reports say.

When police searched him and found 61 pills in one of his pockets, according to the report.

Bell was arrested on a charge of drug possession and on the warrants for aggravated robbery and possession of dangerous drugs. He is in Mahoning County jail until his arraignment today.

Tax falsification

PITTSBURGH

A federal grand jury issued a 10-count tax falsification indictment against a Hermitage, Pa., couple.

The indictment, returned Tuesday, charges Eric and Barbara Graven, vice president and president, respectively, of Custom Stone and Tile Inc. of Hermitage with conspiring to defraud the IRS and with evading income taxes by intentionally failing to report the earnings of that business between 2005 and 2008.

The indictment accuses the Gravens of falsifying individual and corporate tax returns for 2006 through 2008. They face up to 23 years in prison and could be fined up to $1.75 million, the U.S. attorney said.

Metal theft

YOUNGSTOWN

Police reports say about 2,000 pounds of metal was stolen from Diversified Alloy and Metal Inc., 1315 Poland Ave., sometime overnight Monday.

Officers were called to the business about 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, where they found a hole cut through a back fence. A pair of bolt cutters was next to the fence, and a set of tire tracks was next to the hole as well, reports said.

Taken was scrap metal and about 50 radiators, according to the report.

The report said the business was locked up Monday at 6 p.m., and the theft was discovered Tuesday morning.

Saturday road closings

Youngstown

These streets will be closed for the 2013 Pride Youngstown event from 12:01 a.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Saturday: East Federal Street at Central Square between Market and Walnut streets and Champion Street between Boardman and Commerce streets. Parking decks will be open.

There also will be a one-lane, temporary closure for the northbound lane on Market Street starting at Woodland Street to East Federal Street between noon to 12:45 p.m. Saturday to accommodate the Pride Youngstown parade.