Police Reports

Police Warn of Parking Ticket Phone Scam

A township resident was recently a target of the scam, Lower Saucon Township Police announced Wednesday.

Lower Saucon Township Police are warning residents about a phone scam they say is currently being perpetrated upon unsuspecting victims. In a news release issued Wednesday, police said a township resident was recently a target of the scam, in which a man called her and identified himself as someone from the state police. Police said the woman was told that she had an outstanding parking ticket, and would be "arrested" if she did not pay it. The woman was then reportedly told how to make payment using a "Green Dot Money Card." Police requested that media make the local public aware of the fraud attempt. To report an attempted scam, call the Lower Saucon Township Police at 610-317-6110.

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Part of Rt. 412 in Borough Will Be Closed Dec. 12

A 500,000-pound piece of equipment will be moved south on Main Street through Hellertown. An announcement about the move said Main Street will be closed between Penn and Water streets from 9am to 1pm.

Residents planning to travel the Route 412 corridor in Hellertown Wednesday may want to plan an alternate route, especially if their travel plans are scheduled between the hours of 9am and 1pm. That's because a one-block section of Main Street will be closed to facilitate the transport of a 500,000-pound piece of equipment by Central Jersey Trucking and Rigging, the borough announced Monday. According to a press release, PennDOT has approved the southbound move, which will begin at Commerce Industrial Park in Bethlehem. The main reason for the extended closure of the 600 block of Main Street is the need to install a temporary bridge over the culvert that diverts the Silver Creek underneath the roadway in that block. "Because of the …

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Police Reports

State Police Will Conduct Sobriety Checkpoint

The Pennsylvania State Police at Bethlehem announced last week that they will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in Lehigh or Northampton County the weekend of Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

The holiday season is around the corner, and it's a reality that drinking and driving is often more prevalent at that time. So it's perhaps not a coincidence that Pennsylvania State Police at Bethlehem are planning to conduct a sobriety checkpoint somewhere in Lehigh or Northampton County the weekend of Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Police announced their planned DUI checkpoint in a press release Nov. 13. "The goal of a sobriety checkpoint is to reduce the number of alcohol and drug related fatal and serious crashes, and to reduce the number of DUI drivers on Pennsylvania's highways," police said. State troopers will systematically stop vehicles at the selected checkpoint location "to briefly observe drivers for articulable facts and/or behaviors …

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Man Wanted by Lower Saucon PD Arrested in Bucks

Laquan Marquise Knolton, 23, of Blake Street, Bethlehem, was arrested by state police in Upper Bucks County early Saturday.

A man who was wanted on an outstanding charge of fleeing and eluding Lower Saucon Township Police was arrested by state police following a brief car chase Saturday, according to a story published by the Express-Times. Laquan Marquise Knolton, 23, of Blake Street, was northbound on Route 309 at 2:15 a.m. when troopers tried to stop him for having an expired and suspended registration as well as the outstanding warrant, the story said. Following a 10-second chase, Knolton reportedly crashed his car into signs on a median in Springfield Township, before being taken into custody. He now faces new fleeing and eluding charges, in addition to DUI and drug charges stemming from Saturday's incident, the Express-Times reported.

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Updated: Suspect in Nockamixon Double Homicide Reportedly in Custody

Two people were apparently stabbed to death in an apartment building on Route 611 early Friday morning, according to published reports.

Update: As of noon the Morning Call is confirming that a suspect in Friday's double homicide in Nockamixon Township is in custody. A report indicates that more information from the Bucks County District Attorney's office will be released later. The suspect was reportedly arrested near Palisades High School and the school was briefly on lockdown, according to the news story, which also indicates that counselors are available to students and staff as needed. A WFMZ news report says the Palisades School District has confirmed that the incident "directly affects" two high school students--a 10th grader and a 12th grader. School district superintendent Bridget O'Connell has issued a statement in response to the crimes, which is posted on the …

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Josh Popichak

12:09 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012

This story has been updated with additional information. The suspect in the murders was reportedly taken into custody near Palisades High School and the school was briefly on lockdown this morning.   more ›

Police Issue Tour Bus Citations at Sands Casino

State police inspections led to the issuance of citations at Sands and Dorney Park earlier this month.

A state police sweep of tour buses led to six vehicles being taken out of service, plus 19 citations and 68 warnings at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem and Dorney Park in South Whitehall Township, according to this Express-Times report. The inspections came in the wake of several deadly bus crashes on highways.

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Anti-Texting Laws May Not Be Enough to Curb Crashes

Recent study suggests that accidents go up after enacting laws.

By Yasmin Tadjdeh | PA Independent Laws against using cell phones and texting while driving may not be enough to get people to hang up and drive safely.  Megan Fitzpatrick, of Newtown, Bucks County, admits to texting while driving, even though she said she is aware of the risks.  “It annoys me when I see people looking down at their hands, and I know they’re texting … I will admit I have texted before while I was driving, and I see why you shouldn’t, because I get distracted,” Fitzpatrick said.  In fact, states that ban texting while driving have seen a slight uptick in texting-related crashes, based on collected collision claims, according to a recently released study conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute. The HLDI is a research …

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Report: Police Say State Sen. Bob Mensch Had Guns in Car

Longtime lawmaker cited for disorderly conduct following incident on I-78.

State Sen. Bob Mensch, R-24, was pulled over by Pennsylvania State Police on I-78 in Berks County in March after a motorist saw him holding a gun while driving, according to a report published yesterday in The Morning Call. Mensch, a self-described sportsman, was cited for disorderly conduct and is scheduled to appear in district court on May 9. He told police he felt threatened by another motorist but did not point the weapon at anyone. Mensch's district includes Macungie, Emmaus, Easton, Upper Saucon Township, Coopersburg, Williams Township, Salisbury Township, Palmer Township and Springfield Township (Bucks County), among other municipalities.

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Josh Popichak

3:03 pm on Friday, April 29, 2011

According to the report he was not cited for the fact that he had guns in the car. He was cited because he allegedly displayed a gun.   more ›

Stockertown Homes Evacuated After Bomb Threat

Report of a possible "dirty bomb" on Main Street first came in just after 2 a.m. Sunday.

7:56 a.m. UPDATE: Main Street in Stockertown has been reopened to traffic following a bomb scare early this morning. Police have not yet released details of the incident. A possible "dirty bomb" has been found on Main Street in Stockertown, according to police radio reports. Reports say multiple law enforcement agencies are responding to a "serious incident" and homes are being evacuated as of 6 a.m. Sunday. Traffic is being allowed to exit Route 33 at Stockertown and is being rerouted back to the Route 33 Belfast exit. A suspect began aiming a large-caliber gun with a radiological symbol on it at cars around 4 a.m. Reports of a possible bomb on the scene first came in at 3 a.m. It is believed that the suspect may have "prior operative …

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Mallory Vough

10:08 am on Sunday, April 17, 2011

Hi Scott -- here is the most recent story http://patch.com/A-gG5w -- we'll have additional follow-up stories as information becomes available.   more ›

Alburtis Slayings Called 'Crime of Opportunity'

Police Chief Robert Palmer comforted the community by saying he's 'optimistic' the crime will be solved.

For Alburtis Police Chief Robert Palmer, the killing of borough residents Althea and Jeannette Walbert is personal. "I'm pretty sure I know why you're here," he told more than 60 people who packed the meeting room at Borough Hall Monday for the regularly scheduled Town Watch meeting. The topic for the March meeting--home security and home safety--was coincidental, but the community wanted information about the homicides that occurred March 11 at 122 Cobblestone Court. Althea Walbert, 82, and her 59-year-old disabled daughter, Jeannette, were found dead in their home shortly after 9am that day. Althea was a character beloved by all. Seemingly, she and the daughter on whom she endlessly doted belonged to the town. And the town wanted to know…

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Bill Villa

2:16 pm on Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Let's make sure Jim Martin isn't DA when the perpetrator(s) of this heinous crime come to trial. In a recent murder case (click on link), the jury needed just 1 hour to toss DA Martin's toothless prosecution ... http://bloggingdottie.blogspot.com/2009/04/jury-tosses-da-jim-martins-murder-case.html   more ›