On the morning of Jan. 25, 2022, the Oneida City Police Department was notified that the Little Free Pantry located near Higginbotham Park on Farrier Avenue had been vandalized.
This incident is at least the third time the pantry has been vandalized in the last two years.
The Little Free Pantry is a small unlocked cupboard that sits on top of a post. Generally, the Little Free Pantry is stocked with food by local community members and is intended for anyone in need of food to retrieve it from the pantry, no questions asked.
On Jan. 31, 2022 the Oneida City Police Department was able to locate the individuals responsible for the damage during this incident after a comprehensive investigation was conducted. Timothy Hess, 23; and Devin Geary, 19, both of Oneida, were charged with third-degree criminal mischief, a class E felony.
The City of Oneida Police Department would like to thank all members of the community who invest and contribute to projects like the Little Free Pantry. Resources such as the Little Free Pantry exemplify what the Oneida community stands for.
The department also encourages anyone who witnesses any suspected crime occurring, or has information about a past crime, to call (315) 363-2323 to report it.
The Oneida City Police Department recognizes that persons arrested for crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.