Newtown Police Log: DUIs, Scams, Burglaries

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Newtown Township Police Department reported the following incidents between June 11 and June 24, 2021.

June 11

Around 1 a.m., the driver of a black Land Rover Discovery was charged with driving under the influence following a traffic stop on Buck Road.

At 4:30 p.m., a resident reported receiving an email that she thought was from PayPal. It displayed a transaction of $297.99 and provided a phone number to call if she did not make the purchase. The resident dialed the number and spoke to a representative. She gave them access to a computer to "fix the problem" and was instructed to go to Target to purchase three $500 gift cards. She attempted to verify if the representative was truly from PayPal and asked what her last purchase was. The scammer verified the correct information, and the resident purchased the gift cards and fell victim to the scam.

At 10:20 p.m., police were dispatched to the 900 block of Worthington Mill Road in Wrightstown Township for a single vehicle car accident. The vehicle struck a tree and was found overturned in a ditch with the driver and passenger outside of it. The driver was charged with driving under the influence.

June 12

Around 1:30 a.m., the driver of a white Nissan was charged with driving under the influence following a traffic stop on the Newtown Bypass near Woodbourne Road.

June 13

Around 1:45 a.m., the driver of a white Honda was charged with driving under the influence following a traffic stop on the Newtown Bypass near Summit Trace Road.

June 14

Around 9 a.m., police responded to reports of catalytic converters stolen from commercial vehicles within the Newtown Business Commons. Detectives obtained security footage from businesses in the area which showed the suspects arriving in a four-door green or teal colored vehicle with possible two-tone coloring on the driver's side front fender, occupied by two people. The investigation remains ongoing.

Around 1 p.m., police investigated a dispute at a residence. A 16-year-old boy was charged with simple assault, criminal mischief and harassment.

Around 11 p.m., police conducted a traffic stop on the driver of a black Pontiac Vibe for committing a vehicle code violation on Durham Road at North Drive. The driver was cited after a small amount of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia was discovered and taken as evidence.

June 15

An elderly Newtown Township resident contacted police around 5 p.m. to report a scam. He received a message that appeared to be from Microsoft claiming something was wrong with his computer that required immediate action. The scammer was granted access to the computer and instructed the resident to purchase $3,500 worth of gift cards. The resident fell for the scam and provided the gift card information to the scammer.

June 16

The Newtown-Makefield Truck Enforcement Unit conducted a commercial vehicle safety detail on South Elm Avenue and Washington Avenue in Newtown Borough. During the detail, seven trucks were stopped and inspected. One citation and four warnings were issued for violations that were found.

Around 4:30 p.m., police responded to the 1000 block of Durham Road in Wrightstown Township for a careless driver of a white Ford pickup truck traveling at a high rate of speed. Police located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The driver was charged with driving under the influence.

June 17

Around 8:30 a.m., police responded to Pheasant Run for the report of a stolen vehicle. An investigation is ongoing.

June 18

Around 1:30 p.m., police were called to a residence on Brecknock Court for the report of a potential attempted burglary that had occurred earlier in the week. The homeowner had discovered broken branches, flowers that were stepped on and a missing screen. Police are investigating the incident.

At 4:58 p.m., police were called to Wrightstown Road and Hampton Court for a one-vehicle traffic accident in which the vehicle rolled over. The driver was charged with driving under the influence and transported to St. Mary Medical Center for further evaluation.

June 22

At 12:41 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on the driver of a silver Subaru Outback on the Newtown Bypass near South Sycamore Street. The driver was charged with driving under the influence.

June 23

At 12 a.m., the driver of a red Chevy Sonic was charged with driving under the influence following a traffic stop on the Newtown Bypass near Woodbourne Road.

At 2:27 a.m., the driver of a silver Ford F-150 was charged with driving under the influence following a traffic stop on the Newtown Bypass near Richboro Road.

At 10:52 p.m., police discovered a gray Ford Mustang parked on the side of Durham Road near Chatham Place. Upon contact with the driver, the officer detected the strong odor of alcohol. The driver admitted to drinking earlier and had urinated on the roadway where he was stopped. The driver was unable to perform field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence.

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