Newtown Police Log: Uber Thief, Phone Scams, DUI Arrests

NEWTOWN, PA — The Newtown Police Department reported the following incidents between Jan. 22 and Jan. 28, 2021.

January 22

At 11:15 p.m., police were called to Providence Bank for a report of fraudulently written checks. Police made contact with the check writer and the investigation remains ongoing.

January 23

At 12:15 a.m., police pulled over the driver of a silver BMW for a vehicle code violation on the Newtown Bypass in the area of Buck Road. The driver was identified as a warrant person with an active arrest warrant out of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department. He was taken into custody without incident.

Around 2:45 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on Stoopville Road in the area of Eagleton Farms Road on a white Ford F-150 pickup truck for a traffic violation. Police detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, and the driver was subsequently unable to pass field sobriety tests and placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. Charges are pending blood evidence results.

At 9:45 p.m., police pulled over the driver of a black Ford Focus on Washington Crossing Road and Saxony Drive for a vehicle code violation. The officer detected a strong odor of marijuana. The driver was unable to pass field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for suspicious of driving under the influence. A small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were discovered and seized as evidence. Charges are pending blood evidence results.

January 24

At 1:10 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on North Drive and Society Place on the drive of a white Ford for a vehicle code violation. Police detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, and the driver was subsequently unable to pass field sobriety tests and placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. Charges are pending blood evidence results.

A Wrightstown Township resident contacted police at 2 p.m. to report a theft that occurred when he took an Uber ride home over the weekend. The caller left his backpack containing his laptop, iPad and checkbook in the backseat. The Uber driver denied this when he was contacted by the complainant and the company.

At 9:15 p.m. police conducted a traffic stop on South Sycamore Street in the area of Richboro Road on the driver of a red Jeep Wrangler for a vehicle code violation. The driver was unable to perform field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. Charges are pending blood evidence results.

January 25

Around 1 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on Washington Crossing Road in the area of Stoopville Road on the driver of a black BMW for a vehicle code violation. The officer detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. The driver was unable to perform field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. Charges are pending blood evidence results.

Shortly before 10:30 a.m., a Newtown Township resident contacted police to report a phone scam. The complainant said that someone named George called asking for a validation card. The man wanted to meet with the complainant at Giant and wanted the complainant to bring her driver's license and debit card. The complainant did not meet with the man and did not give him any of her personal information. Police advised her to block the phone number.

Around 4:15 p.m., a Newtown Township resident contacted police to report a phone scam. A scammer posing as an Apple employee told the resident to buy four $500 Best Buy gift cards and read the card numbers back to them. After falling for the scam, the resident was able to stop the transaction and prevent any monetary loss.

January 26

Around 3:30 p.m., police were contacted regarding a scam involving a real estate listing on Diamond Drive involving someone posing as the owner of the property attempting to rent the property out.

January 27

The Newtown-Makefield Truck Enforcement Unit conducted a commercial vehicle safety detail on River Road in Upper Makefield Township. Eleven trucks were stopped and inspected, and one citation along with four warnings were issued for violations.

Around 9:30 a.m., a Newtown Township resident contacted police to report an unemployment fraud. She said an unknown person had the last four digits of her Social Security number and her claim number. The incident was reported at the federal and local police levels.

January 28

Around 9 p.m., police conducted a traffic stop on the driver of a silver Chrysler minivan for a vehicle code violation on the Newtown Bypass in the area of Buck Road. The driver was identified as a wanted person with an active warrant out of Falls Township. The driver was taken into custody without incident.

Around 11:30 p.m., police conducted a traffic stop on the Newtown Bypass in the area of Newtown Gate Drive on the driver of a white Mercedes for committing a vehicle code violation. Upon contact with the driver, the officer detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. The operator was unable to satisfactorily perform field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. Charges are pending blood evidence results

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