More than $5000 in tools and equipment stolen from construction site in Hopewell Borough
On December 12, Officer Paul Alvaro responded to a Hopewell Borough address on East Broad Street for a reported theft of tools and equipment stolen from a construction site at this location. The tools stolen were described as concrete saws, a rotary hammer, a circular saw, and a Sawzall. The total value of the stolen tools was reported as $5,300. The investigation is ongoing.
Thief wastes time stealing an item worth $6.88
On December 11, Officer Alvaro responded to a Village Square address at Freedom Village in Hopewell Township for a reported theft. The victim reported that she purchased and purportedly received a package from USPS. However, when the package arrived, the box was open and empty. The expected item was reported as being $6.88 in value. The investigation is open.
Shoplifting at Stop & Shop
On December 11, Officer Christopher Vaccarino responded to Stop & Shop on Denow Road for a reported shoplifting. Loss prevention advised Officer Vaccarino that on the same date at 7:36am, a female shopper entered the store and stole $616.32 worth of items from the store including diapers, formula, and candy bars. The female proceeded past the self-checkout lane, entered a vehicle operated by a male party, and left the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
Credit card opened unlawfully in local’s name
On December 11, at 3:51pm, Officer Ryan Ludwig met with the victim of identity theft in the Hopewell Township Police Department (HTPD) lobby. The victim reported that an unknown party opened a Walmart credit card in her name. The victim reported receiving the credit card in the mail, which she never applied for. There were no charges made on the card however, the victim was advised to continue to monitor her credit and bank accounts for any suspicious activity.
Purse stolen from car just outside Pennington Borough
On December 13, Officer Blake DeMeter responded to a Pennington Road address for a reported vehicle burglary. Upon arrival, the victim advised that their vehicle was broken into between 4:30pm and 5:30pm on the same date. The passenger side window was smashed and the victim’s purse was missing from inside the vehicle. The total value of the stolen items was reported as $416.00. The investigation is active and ongoing.
Power outage in Titusville caused by criminal mischief
On December 14, at 8:55am Officer Maria Gavdanovich responded to Bear Tavern Road for a reported criminal mischief to a utility pole. PSE&G was on the scene as the reporting party. PSE&G stated that they got an outage alert at 3am and responded in the morning on a work order. Upon arrival, they observed that wires had been cut from the utility pole. There were two bolt cutters left at the scene. Repairs were made to the utility pole after the scene was processed. The investigation is ongoing.
DUI on Burd Road
On December 19, Officer Landon Zagacki observed a 2012 Acura TSX on Scotch Road near Pennington Titusville Road operating at a low rate of speed and traveling in and out of the lane, a behavior concurrent with a possible driver under the influence. Officer Zagacki conducted a motor vehicle stop on Burd Road. Officer Zagacki made contact with the driver. Due to signs of intoxication, the individual underwent a field sobriety testing roadside, and was subsequently placed under arrest and transported to HTPD for processing. It was found that the individual also had an active NCIC warrant for their arrest. After processing, the individual was transported to Mercer County Correctional Center where they were lodged in default. The matter will be heard in Municipal Court.
Thieves bring home over $500 in bacon from Stop & Shop
On December 20, Officer Michael Crincoli responded to the Stop & Shop on Denow Road for a reported shoplifting. Loss prevention reported that at 1:06pm, one male party and one female party entered the store and stole 60 sleeves of bacon totaling $524.40 from the store. Both parties left the store without payment and entered a vehicle in the parking lot operated by a third party. Surveillance of the incident was forwarded to Officer Crincoli. The incident is under investigation.
ATV stolen from Pennington Rocky Hill Road address
On December 22, Officer James Klesney responded to a Pennington Rocky Hill Road address for a reported theft of an ATV. The victim reported their Yamaha ATV was stolen from their fenced property overnight. The victim advised that they had a dirt bike stolen from the property years ago after it was listed on Facebook marketplace. The area in which the ATV was stolen was not visible from the roadway and was not listed for sale. The value of the ATV was reported as $7,500. The investigation is ongoing.
Police arrest of driver with mismatched license plate
On December 23, Officer George Peterson conducted a motor vehicle stop on a 1996 Ford pickup truck bearing a New Jersey license plate on the back, no plate on the front, and a Pennsylvania inspection sticker. Peterson stopped the vehicle on North Route 31 near Route 518. At the time of the stop, the rear license plate was no longer on the vehicle, and Peterson had momentarily lost sight of the vehicle due to traffic. During the stop, Officer Peterson made contact with the operator of the vehicle who refused questioning in regards to the New Jersey license plate, which did not match the VIN number of the Ford pickup truck in question. The driver was placed under arrest on the scene for obstruction of the administration of law. They were transported to HTPD for processing and later released from custody on a summons. The matter will be heard in Municipal Court.
This article is based on information provided by the Hopewell Township Police Department which serves Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough.
