Though only a few West Easton residents might feel a part-time police force isn’t necessary for the borough and promote that belief by spreading false information of borough bankruptcy and skyrocketing taxes to other residents, an example of why we need a part-time force was again made apparent last night.
Councilman Paul James confronted a thief outside his home at approximately 10:30 last night after dogs began barking and he noticed motion lights were activated.
Councilman James went outside to find his storage shed open with the lock cut, his backyard chain link fence cut open, and a thief in the process of loading a vehicle with James’ property. Among the items being stolen was James’ snowblower.
Councilman James managed to stop the thief from stealing his items, retrieving them from the vehicle, and ordering the thief to wait for the authorities. As he waited for PSP to arrive the thief became belligerent, engaged the vehicle in drive, and then tried to run over Mr. James as he made his escape, according to our Councilman.
Mr. James’ only satisfaction, other than recovering his items, is that he has one more tool than he originally had in his shed. The thief left the bolt cutters.
Though State Police were called at 10:30pm, they arrived at 12:30am. That’s a 2-hour wait for a crime in progress and a suspect on the premises. A sad argument for those that believe the PSP will respond quickly in the event of a serious crime in the borough.
Due to inadequate lighting, Mr. James could only describe the thief’s vehicle as a dark (green or blue) Chevy Equinox. James provided a description of the man as a white male, about 6 feet tall, blondish/brown hair, stocky build. No license plate number was obtained as the thief still had the hatchback raised when he drove off.
This isn’t the first time Councilman James has been the recipient of criminal activity. In 2014 his home was damaged when an Easton police car chase ended in his basement.
Please be aware of what is going on around you, your home, and your neighborhood. West Easton has had several people sign up for Block Watch, though more participation is needed. If you have not yet signed on and are interested, please contact our Borough Manager, Joan Heebner at Borough Hall.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
