Coleco Industries Inc

Hasbro Inc. officials refused to comment Tuesday on published reports that the world's biggest toy maker would buy most of Coleco Industries Inc. under a plan to be presented in bankruptcy court. The Hartford Courant on Tuesday quoted sources close to Avon-based Coleco's 10-month-old bankruptcy case as saying that details of the purchase were being negotiated. Barry Alperin, executive vice president of Hasbro Inc., said representatives of both companies were forbidden to speak publicly about the case under an order issued last month by U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.

Hasbro Inc. officials refused to comment Tuesday on published reports that the world's biggest toy maker would buy most of Coleco Industries Inc. under a plan to be presented in bankruptcy court. The Hartford Courant on Tuesday quoted sources close to Avon-based Coleco's 10-month-old bankruptcy case as saying that details of the purchase were being negotiated. Barry Alperin, executive vice president of Hasbro Inc., said representatives of both companies were forbidden to speak publicly about the case under an order issued last month by U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.

Coleco Industries Inc., which has enough funds to carry on business through next Thursday only, could file for protection from its creditors next week, company Chairman Morton E. Handel said Friday. Handel would not confirm that his struggling company would indeed file for protection under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code, but he said in a telephone interview that if anything is to happen, it would be next week. "There really is nothing happening today," Handel said.

Coleco Industries Inc., which has enough funds to carry on business through next Thursday only, could file for protection from its creditors next week, company Chairman Morton E. Handel said Friday. Handel would not confirm that his struggling company would indeed file for protection under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code, but he said in a telephone interview that if anything is to happen, it would be next week. "There really is nothing happening today," Handel said.

A coalition of peace groups picketed selected toy stores across the country to protest Christmas war toys, which they contend promote violence. John Steinbach, national coordinator of International Days Against War Toys, said the groups believe toys based on films such as "Rambo," "Star Wars" and "Masters of the Universe" are another symptom of the "militarization" of Western society. In Santa Monica's Palisades Park, a group staged a mock burial of war toys, while in West Hartford, Conn.