Domestic Assaults, Victims Scammed: Newtown Borough Police Report

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — During the month of January, the Newtown Borough Police Department responded to 121 calls for service, Chief James Sabath reported at the February Newtown Borough Council meeting.

Among the calls were five traffic accidents, including one involving a SEPTA bus versus a car at Washington and Lincoln. The chief reported "no serious injuries," but said the crash snarled traffic for a while.

The department also investigated a number of fraud complaints, including a check that was stolen from an outside mailbox at the Newtown Post Office and was later fraudulently cashed.

In another incident, a resident fell victim to a scam in which someone claiming to be with the Sheriff's Department told the victim they would be arrested for failing to show up for jury duty unless they made a payment. "The individual took out $1100 in currency and sent it to Crypto."

The department also took another fraud complaint from a resident who reported being scammed by an anti-virus message on their computer that told them to give them access to the computer and they'd fix the problem. "$8,000 later, that's how they fixed it," said the chief.

The department also reported several domestic incidents, one involving a 21-year-old Lower Makefield man who was arrested for "chasing down his ex-girl friend when she tried to break up with him." He was charged with simple assault, stalking, harassment, false imprisonment and criminal mischief. He was arraigned before District Judge Michael Petrucci and committed to Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 (10 percent bail).

Police also arrested a second individual for a domestic incident that played out at a borough bar. "He was drunk at a bar. He called a family member to pick him up at the bar. When the family member got there, he assaulted her and stole her car. He was charged with strangulation and assault," said the chief. "We subsequently recovered the stolen vehicle."