LILLY — Local police departments are asking the public to pay close attention to strange cars in their communities and report suspicious behavior following a spike in break-ins of homes, vehicles and even garden sheds.
“We’ve had it in every municipality, but especially Cresson Township,” said Cresson Township Officer Jim Hoenshell.
“We’ve had a very sharp increase.”
The number of burglaries of just about anything a person can get into has doubled during the past few months.
While Cresson Township seems to be the hot spot, the problems are on the increase in Washington Township and Lilly Borough, Hoenshell said.
The Cresson Township department provides police services in Lilly, Tunnelhill and Washington Township.
Police reported a theft Wednesday and three during the weekend, all in Cresson Township.
Following the crimes, residents have reported seeing people they did not recognize or vehicles that appear to be from out of the area.
“We have had reports of some suspect vehicles from out of Altoona, we think they may be coming up here to commit burglaries,” Hoenshell said.
Portage Borough reported an increase in crime during the past few weeks, but the cases have been solved, Portage police Chief Ed Miller said Thursday.
“All of ours have been cleared up. They were drug related and they involved locals,” Miller said.
In one case, a Portage man walked into the Sheetz on Main Street, grabbled a Relay for Life canister on the counter and ran out the door. He was later apprehended.
“A week before, the same guy did that in Sidman twice on the same night,” said Miller
Miller and Hoenshell reminded residents that the local departments have limited manpower and depend on the public to report suspicious activity or vehicles.
“When people see suspect vehicles in the area, people casing houses, suspect people walking around,” report it to the police, Hoenshell said.
Local News
Be on the lookout, Mainline police urge
- Local News
-
-
COMMISSIONERS CORNER | Inside a budget: Numbers and lies
Tell someone what you want to prove, and a person can manipulate the numbers/statistics to prove it. So, why develop a budget?
-
Man accused of 101 counts of assault
A man from Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, faces 101 counts of indecent assault after police accused him of molesting a young girl numerous times.
-
Blogging with heart
I had a couple of interesting interviews over the past 24 hours. The first was with an ambitious Forest Hills High School junior who organized a Red Out across the district today in support of American Heart Association. Like many of those involved in Heart Association benefits, Spencer Ivock was inspired by his own family members' experience with heart disease.
-
Supreme Court explains rulings on redistricting
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Friday explained its reasons for rejecting the state’s legislative redistricting plan last week, and a justice who disagreed with the ruling said this year’s races will have to be held under the existing, decade-old maps.
-
In brief: Cresson man dies in pickup crash
A Cresson man who authorities believe lost consciousness while driving was killed late Friday afternoon when his pickup crashed on St. Joseph Street, about one mile north of Cresson.
-
Boil-water notice issued in Upper Yoder Township
A boil-water notice has been issued for a portion of Upper Yoder Township as crews work to repair a leak along Route 271. -
No NDIC jobs to stay in city
After years of political clashes and fiscal uncertainty, these are the facts of the National Drug Intelligence Center’s final days:
• 87: The number of employees losing their jobs as NDIC operations wind down this year.
• 57: The number of staffers, aside from those 87, who will be offered jobs in Washington, D.C.
• Zero: The number of NDIC-related jobs that will remain in Johnstown. -
Forest Hills junior puts his heart into Red Out
Forest Hills junior Spencer Ivock is “redding out” the schools today for his senior project.
-
Local pair accused of robbing home twice
A Johnstown couple has been charged with breaking into a Lower Yoder Township home twice in a four-month period – and then selling, for $103, some of the thousands of dollars in goods they alleged swiped.
-
Steel firm considers coal mine near Que
Cambria Somerset Authority officials plan to meet this week with representatives of an Ohio-based steel company about a plan that could put a coal mine south of the Quemahoning Reservoir.
- More Local News Headlines
-
COMMISSIONERS CORNER | Inside a budget: Numbers and lies
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life
Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial
Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants
Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed
Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
