Township Police Respond to Burglaries, Crude Teen Prank

Monday, Jan. 23

Shortly before 7:30 a.m., police responded to Eagleton Farms for a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on the street.  The responding officer located the described vehicle, determined that it was legally parked with a valid registration and no further police action was required.

Police responded to four traffic accidents related to weather conditions throughout the day, including a one-vehicle accident on Harmony Way at approximately 4:20 p.m., where the motorist drove off the paved portion of the roadway hit a curb, flew over an embankment, struck a tree and rolled numerous times ending more than 100 feet from roadway.  The driver, a 45-year-old man from Morrisville, was transported to Saint Mary Medical Center by ambulance.  

Tuesday, Jan. 24

A 54-year-old Northampton Township resident reported that he parked his car in a lot on South Eagle Road on Thursday, Jan. 19 and when he returned to it on Sunday, Jan. 22, he discovered someone had entered the unlocked vehicle and took the cigarette lighter and a child’s car seat. 

Wednesday, Jan. 25

At approximately 11:48 p.m., while on patrol in the area of Newtown-Yardley Road and the Newtown Bypass, an officer observed a motorist proceed through a steady red traffic signal at a high rate of speed.  The officer activated his emergency lights in an attempt to stop the motorist, who turned off the headlights of the vehicle and continued at a high rate of speed. The motorist eventually stopped the vehicle in the 600 block of Newtown-Yardley Road, approximately one mile from where the initial violation was observed.  At the stop the driver, 22 year-old Eric Swearingen of Junewood Drive in Levittown, was taken into custody.  Swearingen apologized for his actions. He was released after an investigation and all his information was confirmed.  He will receive a summon charging him with flee and eluding police, careless driving and related violations. 

Thursday, Jan. 26

A contractor working in the area of the Villas at Newtown development reported a shipment of copper coil had been delivered to a site at the corner of Willow and Thornhill Drives on Wednesday.  The copper, valued at $1,230, was last seen around 3 p.m. on Wednesday and discovered missing Thursday morning.            

Just before 11 p.m., police responded to Autumn Drive for a report of a suspicious vehicle with an out of state registration in the area.  The responding officer located the vehicle in question and spoke with the driver, who confirmed that it was visiting family and staying in the area for the weekend. 

Friday, Jan. 27

At approximately 4:30 p.m., a resident of Cambridge Lane came to police headquarters to report that she received a phone call from a male who said he was from Texas State Police and was investigating a fraud case. The caller said victims were reported throughout the United States and her identity had been compromised.  The caller also advised the resident file a report with her local police.  Newtown Township Police confirmed the identity of the caller as an investigator for the Texas State Police.

Around 7:15 p.m., a resident of Millers Road called police to report that her son had seen three male teens get out of a car in front of their home and attempt to enter their garage.  When the teens saw the resident watching them they got back in the car and fled the area.  The registration number provided by the witness proved to be incorrect. 

Saturday, Jan. 28

Police responded to a home on Williams Avenue in Wrightstown Township around 11:35 a.m. for a report of thefts from vehicles that occurred overnight.  The victim told the officer that someone entered two unlocked vehicles and took approximately $23 in change from both cars.   

At approximately 12:40 p.m., an officer stopped a motorist on the Newtown Bypass near Penns Trail because there were counterfeit inspection stickers on the vehicle.  At the stop, the driver presented the officer with a fake Pennsylvania drivers license.  The false documents were confiscated, the vehicle was towed from the scene and the driver, 44-year-old Pablo Fernandez from Trenton, N.J. received two citations charging him with the violations. 

Police responded to a complaint of a suspicious vehicle parked in front of a home on Stoopville Road.  The resident checked with neighbors but no one knew whom the car belonged to.  The responding officer found a note on the windshield of the car indicating there was a mechanical problem and the owner would return shortly.  The officer ran the registration tag and confirmed the owner had written the note.  The resident was comfortable with the situation.  

Around 8:40 p.m., a resident of Thornbury Lane called police to report that a teenage male had just defecated on the front door step, rang the doorbell and ran away. Shortly after 9 p.m. police received a call from a resident of nearby Atkinson Lane reporting a ground of teens running through the neighborhood. Patrol was advised of a second complaint in the same area of four teenage males running through the back yards on Atkinson Lane.  Patrol checked the areas of Atkinson Lane and Eagleton Farms but did not locate any juveniles.

An employee of Dunkin Donuts called police to report that someone had left a school bag in the establishment several days earlier.  The employee told police that he kept the bag in case the owner returned.  The responding officer took the bag, identified the owner and returned the bag to the 16-year-old Newtown Township resident.   

Sunday, Jan. 29

Police responded to Willow Drive for a report of an attempted burglary.  The homeowners told officers they left the home at 9 a.m. and when they returned around 3 p.m., they discovered that their front door had been smashed in.  Officers and the victims checked the interior of the home and determined that nothing appeared to be missing.  Detectives will handle the investigation.  

Shortly before 9:30 p.m., a resident of Walton Court reported that their home had been broken into and the upstairs have been ransacked.  The victims told officers that no one was home between 11 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.  The victims will compile a list of items that were taken and forward it to the detectives.