Whitehall Police Investigating Front-Porch Pranks

Dangerous Prank

Whitehall Borough police went to the 100 block of Felix Drive at around 8:41 p.m. on Saturday in response to a complaint of a loud bang and smoke coming from a resident's porch there.

Whitehall police Chief Donald R. Dolfi said that, when officers arrived, they found a 2-liter bottle partially filled with some type of liquid on the porch, as well as aluminum foil. The device acted as a type of homemade explosive, he said.

Although nobody was injured in the incident, Dolfi said that the event, which appears to have been a prank, is very dangerous.

"People could be seriously injured when a chemical reaction is involved," he said.

While Whitehall police were on the scene of the Felix incident, an event occurred in nearby South Park Township involving the same type of device, Dolfi said.

Police are investigating the incidents.

Assault Arrest in Prospect Park Area

Whitehall police went to the 1680 Skyline Dr. apartments building in the Wallace (Prospect) Park area at around 2:05 a.m. on Wednesday in response to a disturbance there.

When officers arrived, they determined that the source of the disturbance was Apt. 4 of that building, Dolfi said.

After interviewing people involved in the disturbance, police determined that Zwen Ko Ko, 27, of 1680 Skyline, Apt. 4, was involved in an assault and terroristic threat of a guest of that apartment, according to the chief.

Police then took Ko into custody on those charges and transported him to the Allegheny County Jail. (UPDATE: The charges were withdrawn on Jan. 22.)

The victim did not have injuries that required immediate medical attention, Dolfi said.

Read through other Whitehall police items here.

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