Police: Duo burglarized Huntingdon store, threw evidence in lake

HUNTINGDON, Pa. (WTAJ) – Police are connecting a string of burglaries in Centre and Huntingdon Counties back to two men, who they said admitted to throwing evidence into a lake.

Anthony John Harkinson, 35, of Philipsburg, and Eric James Watkins, 42, of Howard, allegedly stole two cash registers from Seven Points Bait & Grocery in Hesston and threw them in Black Moshannon Lake near Philipsburg, according to Pennsylvania State Police out of Huntingdon.

Troopers responded to reports of a burglary at the grocery store during the early morning hours of July 24, 2023. According to a criminal complaint, surveillance footage from outside the building showed two men smashing the front door, entering the store and taking the business’ two cash registers with them as they left. One of the cash registers would later be found in Black Moshannon Lake by police in December 2023.

In August 2023, State Police in Centre County notified State Police in Huntingdon that they were investigating a series of “smash and grab” burglaries throughout the area that had a similar modus operandi to this incident – two males, dressed in dark clothing, target a closed convenience store where they smash the glass out of a front door using a hammer or crowbar, enter the store, remove the cash drawers from the register and leave.

Following an investigation, police arrested Harkinson and Watkins as suspects for the burglaries in Centre County.

In interviews, Harkinson allegedly told police that he had committed burglaries at gas stations and convenience stores throughout the area and had thrown registers from the burglaries into Black Moshannon Lake, according to a criminal complaint.

Through cell phone location records, state police placed Watkins’ cell phone within 350 feet of Seven Points Bait & Grocery on the night it was burglarized.

Both men have been charged with burglary and criminal trespassing, as well as related lesser charges.

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Harkinson is currently being held at Clinton County Correctional Facility on other burglary charges. Watkins is at the Centre County Prison, also for separate burglary charges. Both are scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing in their Huntingdon County case May 8.

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