Police say Schoharie man charged in burglary had sticks of dynamite

PHOTOGRAPHER: Edward Munger Jr.

State police say they discovered dynamite and other blasting equipment in a car owned by a Schoharie man who was arrested on charges of burglarizing the home of a woman in the town of Wright early Thursday.

Barton L. Schanz, 19, of Gage Road, was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary, third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to state police.

Police said in a press release that a 94-year-old resident of Sellick Road called 911 after she awoke to the sounds of someone breaking into her house. She told police her home had been burglarized the week before as well.

State police from Cobleskill found Schanz a short time later and said they found food and other things Schanz allegedly stole from the Sellick Road home.

Police also found 10 sixteen-inch sticks of dynamite, blasting caps and detonation cord in the trunk of Schanz’s vehicle.

The state police bomb disposal unit took the explosive materials, police said.

The investigation led to Schanz’s residence on Gage Road in Schoharie where police said they found 50 blasting caps in a barn.

Police believe Schanz got the explosives from a garage on Cotton Hill Road in Middleburgh.

Schoharie County District Attorney James Sacket and federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted in in the investigation, police said.

Schanz was arraigned in Cobleskill Town Court and sent to the Schoharie County Jail.