The Express-Times reported today (read the article here) on a subject that was brought to my attention by a reader last week (though was unconfirmed just 'heard of'), a series of residential break-ins.
The article reports that police in Nazareth Borough and Upper Nazareth Township are investigating several incidents involving an individual who entered unlocked homes and stole money from purses.
First was an incident in Upper Nazareth two weeks ago, then three in Nazareth last week, and two in Upper Nazareth over the weekend.
The reader who contacted me indicated the three incidents in Nazareth occurred over the New Year's Holiday on Forest Drive. The reader had contacted the Express-Times regarding the ability to report on police incidents and was told it was difficult to get the information from Nazareth. Similarly, this past fall when a series of incidents took place near my home I had been speaking with someone at the Morning Call who voiced the same opinion.
Now we have six incidents taking place over two weeks and are only made aware of it after the fact. You have to wonder how many incidents could have been avoided if people had been alerted and were able to make some simple, extra precautions.
Each month at the Borough Council meeting Mayor Earl Keller reads a police report that includes crime and vehicle incidents. The report includes the type of crime, count, and many times street on which it occurred.
It would seem now is a good time to review the process and procedure that makes this information available to the public.
What do you think?
6 comments:
I live on Forest Dr, heard the "rumors", spoke to the local police about it as I was in the station on a different subject (requesting a school visit from an officer to read to the class) but anyhow got the feeling that it wasn't wanted to be discussed, like it is an active investigation and we can't reveal details-only I am a stay at home mom with three little kids and a husband that travels frequently and maybe giving me some info would help me to avoid it-have always heard that which happens in Nazareth stays in Nazareth (like the Vegas ads!) but public knowledge can't hurt in this type of crime
Maybe adding a citizens crime report section to NOC would fit the bill.
Since you have created this great forum as a way of communicating news pertinent to the Nazareth area, inclusion of section for us to post information around crimes and such would be a great extension.
If the police aren't going to keep us informed (which totally blows my mind), then we as citizens can keep each other informed.
Just a thought. I know I would include it in my daily NOC reading.
If anything, you might shame the authorities into becoming more open around this type of information.
Some of us on Council have continually asked for the police report to be available to the newspaper, but we have always met with opposition from the mayor. How can putting these crimes in the paper be a bad thing? I think it can only be preventative in crime stopping. I must be nuts.
WHA IS THE PROBLEM WITH NAZARETH AND UPPER NAZARETH NOT LETTING THE CITIZENS OF THESE COMMUNITIES BE AWARE OF THE CRIMES THAT TAKE PLACE. I HAD ALSO HEARD OF AN INCIDENT ON HIGH ST IN NAZARETH SUPPOSIDLY INVOLVING 8 YOUTHS AGAINST ONE...MANY PEOPLE HEARD IT ON THE SCANNER BUT AS USUAL NOTHING IN THE PAPER. MAYBE IT IS BECAUSE THEY PAINT NAZARETH AS SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE AND DON'T WANT TO TAINT IT IN ANYWAY. IT ISN'T RIGHT...WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW, THE POLICE ARE SUPPOSE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND THAT MEANS KEEPING US INFORMED ON WHAT IS GOING ON. EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT HOW EVERYTHING IS KEPT HUSH IN NAZARETH. WHAT CAN WE DO TO CHANGE THIS. I KNOW IN BATH THE NEWSPAPER "THE HOME NEWS" PUBLISHES THE CRIMES THAT OCCUR IN THEIR COMMUNITY...MAYBE THEY THINK MORE OF THEIR RESIDENTS.
I used to live in a smallish town (pop 7K) in Montana where the weekly had something called the "blotter" noting the local police activity,names abd brief details were given-may have worked as somewhat of a deterrent for some-anyhow maybe the Key should take note?
Living in Naz all my life.yes.. the school district and townships, boro are all totally guiltly of brush under the carpet.naz is painted as this wonderful place but the crimes are not public.
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