Driver arrested on drug charges, fraud reported in Newtown Township

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Newtown Township Police Department reported the following incidents and arrests between November 1st and November 7th:

November 1st

• As a result of the investigation into the theft of an ATV in Wrightstown in October, a criminal complaint was filed against a man for receiving stolen property, theft by unlawful taking and loitering and prowling at night. Two other men were also arrested last month in connection with the incident.

November 4th

• Just before noon, police were dispatched to the Wells Fargo Bank on South Eagle Road to file a fraud report. The bank manager explained that a customer on site had been threatened by a caller to withdraw money from his account. The customer reported receiving calls from individuals claiming to be Homeland Security and DEA representatives claiming that there was a warrant for his arrest resulting from a drug investigation. They instructed him to withdraw $5,000 from each of his accounts and keep the money in a secure locker. Fortunately, there was no financial loss as the customer sought help upon arrival at the bank.
• At approximately 12:30 p.m., police were dispatched to Organnon’s Natural Market on Durham Road in Wrightstown for a report of a retail theft from the previous day. The total damage value was approximately $12.
• A Newtown Township resident contacted police at 12:45 p.m. to report a scam. The resident said she googled customer support for help downloading an app to her phone. The person she was talking to let her download two apps and gain remote access to her phone. They then accessed their Venmo and transferred $200 to a random account. At that point, she realized it was a scam and reported the incident to Venmo, her bank, and the police.

November 5th

• At 9:05 a.m., a Lukoil employee on South Sycamore Street contacted police to report a scam involving two men purchasing several cartons of cigarettes. The payment was later flagged and declined. An investigation is ongoing.
• Shortly before 1 p.m., police were dispatched to the First National Bank on Newtown-Yardley Road on a report of fraud. An elderly woman was in the bank and was scammed over the phone. After apparently receiving an email from “LifeLock” regarding a problem with her computer, she called the provided phone number and granted remote access to her system. She was then convinced to access her bank accounts and transfer funds to a specific account. The fraudster set up an Uber account in the resident’s name and arranged a ride for her to the bank to withdraw the money. The bank and police were able to help the woman close her accounts and contact her family so she didn’t lose any money and got home safely.

November 7th

• During a routine patrol just before 2 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on the driver of a GMC Envoy for a vehicle code violation in the area of ​​Newtown Bypass and Buck Road. As a result of the investigation, suspected narcotics and drug equipment were discovered and seized as evidence and the driver was arrested.