Accused fireworks bandit arrested

Deputies have arrested and charged a Havre man accused of stealing $2,900 in fireworks.

Daniel Baranyai, 29, of Havre, has been held in the Hill County Detention Center on a $20,000 bond on felony charges of theft and burglary since Thursday.

The Hill County Sheriff’s Office received a report July 2 that the Pyromania fireworks stand was burglarized, a sheriff’s office press release says.

A deputy responded and began conducting an investigation.

“An inventory of stolen fireworks was later received that exceeded $2,900,” the release says.

A call came into the sheriff’s office July 5, 23 minutes after midnight, that someone was lighting fireworks, those specific to the kinds sold at Pyromania. Deputies responded and found Baranyai.

A search warrant of Baranyai’s home and vehicle revealed fireworks sold at Pyromania, the release says. He was then charged and arrested.

“We put a lot of work into that investigation,” Hill County Sheriff Jamie Ross said Tuesday.

Ross said firework burglaries are not typical to the area.

The last time something like this happened was in July of 2009, when a group burglarized the Jaycees’ firework stand and burned it down.

The suspects were prosecuted for that crime, Ross said.