Bucky Hunting
by Nikki Gawel
Police say he has lost 40 pounds and is adept at disguising himself. They fear some may be helping him elude capture. Some have said he is a shape-shifter, taking the form of animals and traveling at night, bewitching those who track him. Whatever the truth, as the search for fugitive Ralph “Bucky” Phillips hits its fifth month, it appears that the cash reward offered by New York State for assisting in his capture—$50,000 at press time—is insufficient. So 103.3 The Edge morning show hosts Shredd and Ragan have enlisted local merchants to sweeten the pot, adding such perqs as a free auto tint, a 10-by-15-foot concrete patio installed in your yard, a case of s’mores and a three-day, two-night vacation package. (For a complete list of premiums and participating businesses, visit www.findbucky.com.) We asked a few locals, safe inside city limits, to muse on the hunt for Bucky, which in the last week has moved from the Southern Tier to Niagara County.
Click to watchName: Joe
Occupation: Construction manager
Residence: Sheridan
Why do you think police are having such a difficult time capturing Bucky Phillips? I don’t think they are looking in the right place. Organization perhaps is what they don’t have
Shredd and Ragan are soliciting rewards for information leading to his capture. What would sweeten the pot for you? I probably wouldn’t even accept the reward. I’d just want to keep the taxpayers from paying all this overtime and everything.
If you were in Bucky’s shoes, where would you go and how would you get there? I don’t know, but If I was on the run I would either want to be with Bin Laden or Bucky, that’s for sure.
Name: Brian Grimm
Occupation: Kitchen manager
Residence: Buffalo
Why do you think police are having such a difficult time capturing Bucky Phillips? That’s a really good question. I find it amusing that they have had him surrounded for months but can’t even catch him considering how close they have been. I really don’t know what the problem is.
Shredd and Ragan are soliciting rewards for information leading to his capture. What would sweeten the pot for you? I wouldn’t even want to be involved in capturing him, I don’t think. The $50,000 is very tempting, the other things not so much, though.
If you were in Bucky’s shoes, where would you go and how would you get there? Apparently from what I hear he stole a car, and I don’t know why he’s not in another state. I mean, if he had access, he should be in, I don’t know, Wyoming or some place like that.
Name: Adam Zadok
Occupation: Musician
Residence: Buffalo
Why do you think police are having such a difficult time capturing Bucky Phillips? I think it’s because he’s smart enough to know and get through the woods and rural areas, and he’s not staying put because he knows that he’ll get caught quicker. He’s going outside of where normal society lives, so he’s using that to his advantage as well.
Shredd and Ragan are soliciting rewards for information leading to his capture. What would sweeten the pot for you? Probably having been recognized as the one who captured the man who the authorities couldn’t, after having used all their tools and such that they had to their advantage. Just to gain notoriety, maybe an article about me, some kind of media publicity. I would use the publicity as a positive platform to kind of spread the word on something that’s important to me.
If you were in Bucky’s shoes, where would you go and how would you get there? I would use what I know best, like running through the woods, rivers, stuff like that. I would probably just head down to the Mississippi—not that I’m a criminal or anything—and try to make my way to Mexico, and completely change my image entirely and never set foot in this country again.
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