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Paralyzed man says neighbor knocked him down, stole his food

JEANNETTE, Pa. — A paralyzed man told Channel 11 that a woman knocked him down and stole food and other items from him and another neighbor.

“I’m more than upset, but there’s nothing I can do about it anymore. I’m already stuck, I can’t fight back anymore,” said Ronald Tonin.

Tonin relies on his wheelchair to get around his apartment at Jeannette Manor because he is paralyzed on his left side. A run-in with his neighbor Monday night led to criminal charges for Mary Jane Burch.

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“She pushed me down and took two shopping carts of food out of my place and then went to Craig’s and took his dad watch, $300 watch and took his mom’s meals too," Tonin said.

She not only allegedly attacked Tonin, but police said she also stole hundreds of dollars worth of frozen foods from his freezer and another neighbor’s.

Tonin said she just left him lying on the floor and he had to call his next door neighbor for help to get up.

“I think she should be out of here and never be allowed back in one of these places," Tonin said.

And he’s not the only tenant here who thinks that.

Neighbors said they’ve become very familiar with Burch, and they hope some peace and quiet gets restored here after her arrest.