PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT - THEFT FROM VEHICLES

As the weather begins to warm up, the Borough historically experiences an elevated number of thefts from motor vehicles. We have begun to see this trend and due to COVID-19 work and school restrictions, many people are home and idle. This presents an opportunity for idle would be criminals to commit these thefts, but it also presents the opportunity for those being home to see out of ordinary behavior.

During these thefts, the perpetrator(s) typically target unlocked vehicles where valuables are visible from the outside and/or easily located inside the vehicle. These individuals rely on their ability to access a large number of vehicles while circulating through the neighborhoods and alleys and therefore rarely force entry for fear of making noise and risking detection. 

These incidents typically occur during the overnight hours and are not reported until the next morning when the owner recognizes property missing or out of place. The most commonly taken from vehicles are:

• Cash and coins
• Jewelry
• Prescription Medications
• Sunglasses
• Aftermarket radios or equipment

In an effort to combat this problem, we encourage residents to employ some basic preventative measures:

• Lock your vehicles
• Remove valuables. If you must keep them in your vehicle, hide them from plain view.
• Do not leave prescription medication or firearms in your vehicle
• Park vehicles in the garage or driveway if you are able
• Leave exterior lights on
• Report any suspicious behavior to police at 911 or 610-268-3171.
• Report any incident where you believe someone has entered your vehicle without permission. For example: Glove box left open, items strewn about the vehicle, Seats moved.

If you believe your vehicle has been unlawfully entered, limit what you touch and notify police as soon as possible. 

If you've recently had items stolen and it has not been reported to police, please let us know. We have recovered what we believe to be stolen property but have not yet been able to prove that it was in fact stolen. Any report would assist in the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of those responsible. 

We encourage the use of surveillance systems. If you have surveillance systems, whether it be as simple as a video door bell like Ring, Nest, or the equivalent, or a complete video surveillance system with multiple cameras and angles, please let us know by completing a free Camera Registration Form.