NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Newtown Township Police Department reported the following incidents and arrests between June 26 and July 1:
June 26
At approximately 4 p.m., a Newtown Township resident contacted police to report a scam/fraud attempt. She explained that someone claiming to be a lieutenant from Doylestown called her about missing federal jury duty. She recognized it as a scam when they demanded payment in bitcoin to prevent an arrest warrant, but was concerned because they had a lot of her personal information to make the call convincing. Police advise all residents that this is a prevalent extortion tactic. Legitimate federal courts never demand payment in lieu of arrest, nor do they accept cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers. Any legitimate court communication regarding missed jury service will generally come through U.S. mail, not by phone demanding sensitive info or money. If you receive a threatening call regarding missed jury duty, hang up immediately. Any follow-up texts or emails with official-looking documents are a scam designed to steal your money as well.
At approximately 4:30 p.m., police received the report of unauthorized use of a rental vehicle from a Newtown Township business. As a result of the investigation, the vehicle was recovered a few days later.
At approximately 5 p.m., police were dispatched to Mid Penn Bank on Pheasant Run for the report of a woman trying to cash a forged check with a fraudulent driver’s license. As a result of the investigation, the woman was taken into custody and charged with forgery and access device fraud-related charges.
June 29
At approximately 8:45 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on the driver of a Ford Focus in the area of Richboro Road after a License Plate Reader alerted police to a wanted person. As a result of the investigation, the driver was positively identified as the wanted person and taken into custody. Narcotic-related charges are also pending.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., police were called to Chipotle on South Eagle Road for the report of a disorderly subject. As a result of the investigation, the subject was taken into custody and charged with providing false identification to law enforcement and disorderly conduct.
July 1
At approximately 1:30 p.m., police were called to a Wrightstown Township business for the report of a theft. The estimated value of loss was $27.
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