New Rail Trail Signs Vandalized

Interpretive signs along the Saucon Rail Trail next to the Hellertown Marsh were recently 'tagged' with graffiti. Hellertown Police Chief Robert Shupp says he wants bike patrol officers to help monitor the area.

Less than two months after they were installed, colorful interpretive signs along the Saucon Rail Trail at the Hellertown Marsh have been vandalized. The educational signs were recently "tagged" with graffiti painted by someone calling him or herself "Vain." On top of an illustration of marsh grasses on one of the signs, the artist wrote the words "Smoke Grass" in black marker. Environmentalist and Hellertown resident Dennis Scholl designed and coordinated the installation of the signs, and said he is angered by their defacement. "What Vain does not realize is that he has tagged public property," he wrote in an email. "Kids like him destroy public property in an attempt to gain notoriety among their peers. What Vain and others like him …

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Police Reports

Vandalism Reported in 200 Block of Main Street

Hellertown Police say they're investigating damage to several windows and a door as criminal mischief.

Damage to several windows and a door was reported at 228 Main St., Hellertown, on the afternoon of March 7, borough police said in a news release. Police said the criminal mischief occurred sometime within the last six months. The total cost of the damage was unknown, they added. Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact the Hellertown Police Department at 610-838-7040.

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Police Reports

Man's Trash Can Damaged a Third Time, Police Say

Police say they are investigating a third instance of damage to a trash can owned by Dan Wilt, of the 2400 block of Polk Valley Road, Lower Saucon Township.

Lower Saucon Township Police say they are investigating what is only the most recent incident involving damage to a resident's trash can. In a press release issued Dec. 10, police said they were called to the home of Dan Wilt in the 2400 block of Polk Valley Road on the afternoon of Dec. 8. Police said Wilt's blue plastic Raritan Valley trash can, which is valued at $65, had been damaged. "This is the third time there has been damage to (Wilt's) cans," police noted in the press release. They added that the damage "usually occurs Friday nights" between 7 and 10pm. Anyone with information about the incident--which police are investigating as criminal mischief--is asked to contact the Lower Saucon Police Department at 610-317-6110.

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Police Reports

Police: 2 Men Smashed Jewelry Store Window

Hellertown Police say a surveillance video depicts two men smashing the front display window at Klassic Gold.

Hellertown Police are continuing to investigate the shattering of a display window at Klassic Gold, a downtown borough jewelry store. In a press release issued Saturday, police announced that surveillance video footage "depicts two males smashing the storefront window" at 650 Main Street. It was previously reported that the window was shattered by a sandbag at about 8:30pm Nov. 13. Anyone with information about the case--which is being investigated as criminal mischief--is asked to contact the Hellertown Police Department at 610-759-2200.

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Downtown Jewelry Store Window Smashed

On Tuesday, Nov. 13 a sandbag was thrown through the display window at Klassic Gold, 650 Main St., Hellertown. Borough police are investigating the incident.

Hellertown Police are investigating an incident of criminal mischief that occurred at a well-known jewelry store last Tuesday evening. According to police and Klassic Gold co-owners Denise Knauss and Lynn Kemmerer, the store's sidewalk display window was shattered by a sandbag at about 8:30pm Nov. 13. By Wednesday afternoon, the window had been temporarily boarded up with plywood and the store was open for business. Klassic Gold is located at 650 Main St., in the middle of a busy downtown block, so Knauss and Kemmerer said they are hopeful that anyone who may have witnessed the incident will contact borough police. "Whatever information anyone could provide to the police would be helpful," they said in an email, adding that the incident "…

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Police Reports

Lower Saucon Township Police Blotter: Nov. 3, 2012

The following information was supplied by the Lower Saucon Township Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

Woman Arrested for DUI at Route 378 and Seidersville Road On Oct. 21 at 1:52am police say Iris N. West, of the 1500 block of Bayberry Lane, Bethlehem, attracted an officer's attention by being stopped beyond the stop line at the intersection of Route 378 and Seidersville Road. Police said in a press release that West was stopped far enough beyond the line that her vehicle represented "a hazard to northbound traffic on Route 378." After West was stopped, police said she failed field sobriety tests and was determined to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .14 percent at the Bethlehem DUI Center. West has been charged with DUI and careless driving, police said. I-78 Underpass Spray-Painted With Profanity, Police Say On Oct. 24 at 3:10pm …

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Police Reports

Polk Valley Park Signs Damaged With Graffiti

Lower Saucon Township Police say wooden signs, a trash can, a portable restroom and a bulletin board in the park were recently found to have been vandalized.

Lower Saucon Township Police announced Wednesday that they are investigating criminal mischief at Polk Valley Park. Police said in a press release that "graffiti was observed on various surfaces throughout the park" early on the morning of June 19. The graffiti was found on two wooden soccer field signs, a trash can, a portable restroom and a Plexiglas bulletin board, police said. "The damage is believed to have occurred the night before and includes the word 'FALT' as well as another unknown signature," authorities added. Anyone with information regarding the vandalism is asked to contact the Lower Saucon Police Department at 610-317-6110.

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Borough Man Allegedly Damages Police Holding Cell

Eric D. Beitz, 27, was arraigned on institutional vandalism and other charges Tuesday, as a result of alleged incidents at Beer Mussels Bar & Grille and the Hellertown Police Department Dec. 21.

A Hellertown man described by police as "visibly under the influence of alcohol" is accused of loud and violent behavior one night last week that allegedly included threatening to kill a police officer and destroying property at the police station. According to court records, the actions of Eric D. Beitz, 27, started at around 9:30pm Dec. 21, both inside and outside Beer Mussels Bar & Grille, 1214 Main St. Beitz allegedly harassed, cursed at and tried to pick fights with patrons. Records indicate that Beitz's destructive behavior continued at the borough police station, where he allegedly smashed an interview room microphone on the floor and broke a wooden bench bolted down in a holding cell, throwing it into the cell wall. When he …

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Police Reports

Police: Grinch Damaged Christmas Lawn Ornaments

Hellertown police say an unknown person or persons damaged Christmas lawn decorations in the 500 block of East Saucon Street earlier this week.

Someone apparently lacking "the Christmas spirit" left a Hellertown resident feeling not very jolly Monday, borough police have reported. According to a Hellertown Police Department press release issued Tuesday, police are currently investigating damage to Christmas lawn ornaments that occurred in the 500 block of East Saucon Street. Police said the ornaments were "knocked over, causing approximately $75 in damage" sometime between 11pm on Dec. 11 and 8am on Dec. 12. Anyone who may have information about the vandalism is asked to contact the Hellertown Police Department at 610-838-7040.

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Chris

4:27 pm on Sunday, September 9, 2012

heck ya whats with people anymore cant they keep there hands on there own stuff god hellertown was better back then before these people from beithlhem and allentown and those other towns started to come into hellertown   more ›

Police Reports

Police: 15-Year-Old Vandalized Township Playground

Lower Saucon police announced Thursday that a 15-year-old juvenile from Hellertown has been charged with criminal mischief for allegedly damaging equipment at Steel City Park in October.

Lower Saucon Township police have announced that a 15-year-old juvenile from Hellertown has been charged with criminal mischief for allegedly damaging playground equipment at Steel City Park on Riverside Drive in October. Police said in a Nov. 10 press release that the damage done to the park "is suspected to be in excess of $1,000." Following the vandalism, one large plastic playset had to be closed as a result of the damage. In their press release, police did not identify the juvenile but indicated that a charge was brought Nov. 9. Lower Saucon Township officials expressed concern following the vandalism, because the township plans to invest thousands of dollars in upgrades to the park next year.

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