= VOL. 84 NO. 4 FIFTEEN CENTS A rash of break-ins and burglaries in the Back Mountain has left area residents jittery and police searching for ways to increase security throughout the com- munity. The burglaries, which began Jan. 14 with a heist at the home of Raymond Shultz, Haddonfield Hills, have continued over an eight day period and have netted burglars cash and valuables ranging from a $2.000 full length mink coat taken from th¥* Applewood Manor home of Johann Sessler to four rolls of pennies Beis A ay the U. S. Savings bond recovered in Toby’s Creek near the Singer Plant reveals that the bond is the property of Marion J. Pascoe, Church Street resident whose home was burglarized Jan. 18. lifted from the Town House Restaurant, Dallas. Police surmise that the thefts are being perpetrated by more than one burglar or police feel certain that a break-in at the Shavertown Lumber Company Jan. 17 was the work of juveniles. Said officer Bill Pugh of the lumber company bur- glary: ‘Petty cash was the only thing taken in that break-in, and had the bur- glars been more professional there were many more things of substantial value— like power saws—which could have been taken.” In Dallas Township, where burglars have zeroed in on private residences, Officer Carl Miers believes that the break-ins may well be the work of ‘‘a crew working the area and looking for places to hit.”” At the Shultz and Sessler homes, entry was gained by prying open doors with a tire iron—an instrument which was recovered by police after the Sessler break-in. Valuabies totalling $695 were removed from the Shultz home after the thief or timeves ransacked draweisiilicaghout the home, Stolen were a G.E. table radio, two wrist watches and a mechanic’s tool box and tools. A strongbox taken from the bedroom was pried open in the garage and $300 in cash was removed. The heist occurred between the hours of 11 a.m. and 9:15 p.m., police report. When Mr. and Mrs. Johann Sessler, Applewood Manor, left shortly after 5 p.m. Jan. 17 to attend a funeral viewing of a relative, no lights were on in their home. When they returned at 10:20 p.m., the couple was stunned to find virtually every light in the house blazing and the drapes drawn—and the contents from every drawer and closet in the home strewn about. A bedroom clock was found stopped at 9, and police suspect that the burglars may have been ransacking the house at that time. (continued on PAGE FIVE) Dallas Borough Policeman Ronald J. Dudick received a brutal beating last Thursday night at the hands of four assailants when he was lured to an isolated stretch of Reservoir Road by persons who told him there was ‘‘a car in trouble out there.” The incident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. when the operator of a white Volkswagen sedan stopped Officer Dudick c#\Main Street, Dallas, and told him his assistance was needed on Reservoir Road. Officer Dudick proceeded to the lonely Road to Route 118 in Lehman Township, and discovered a car which did indeed appear to be stalled. No sooner had he pulled up behind the black Dodge-- thought to be a 1965 or 1966 model--when he reailized he’d seen the same car earlier that night. He had stopped the vehicle at approximately 8 p.m. because the car bore no license tags. At that time he’d conferred with the operator of the car, a man whose motor vehicle license revealed he was a Scranton resident. The man had shown him papers which indicated he had ap- plied for registration tags, and Officer Dudick let him continue on his way. : “I think he smelled a rat when he saw the same car out on Reservoir Drive,” commented Dallas Borough Police Chief Ray Titus after the incident. ‘‘At any rate, he called for back-up before he got out of the car--and that’s the smartest thing he could have done.” (continued on PAGE FIVE) Preventive Measures Back Mountain | TAXI | 696-1639 ~ Dallas Township &olice Chief Frank ‘Pete’ Lange displays a pearl necklace and a portion of a U. S. Savings Bond recovered in Toby’s Creek following a burglary in the township. Looking on are, from left to right: Claude Neifert, Leo Insalaco, waterways patrolmen who found the stolen goods; Chief Lange and Dallas Borough Police Chief Ray Titus. “I spent an hour tonight cruising through three developments here in Dallas Township, and I saw 19 homes which would have been prime targets for burglars looking for a ‘job,’ ”’ Officer Carl Miers said late Monday night. ‘“No lights, garage doors wide open and cars gone— perfect clues for any burglar who knows his business.” Officer Miers was alluding to the series of burglaries which has plagued the Back Mountain during the past two weeks, and he suggested that homeowners must do their part in thwarting would-be thieves. Some preventive measures he outlined include: —Leave some lights on in different parts of the home when you go out and draw all drapes. —Leave a radio—or even the TV— —Leave your telephone off the hook; a burglar who calls to check if someone is at home may be put off by a busy signal. —If going out for an evening, alert a neighbor or the police. This is especially important if your ‘‘evening out’’ has been publicized, e.g., burglars often scan obituary columns to glean the names of relatives likely to be attending a funeral or a viewing. —Use bolt type locks on doors; ‘tab’ locks can be opened with a credit card! (continued on PAGE THREE) Dallas Borough Council adopted a budget for 1973 which holds the property tax rate steady at nine mills and projects total expenditures of $123,000 at its re- gular meeting Jan. 16. The budget in- cluded sizeable raises for the borough’s police chief, Ray Titus, and patrolmen Sev Newberry and Ronald Dudick, thus The sewer extension for the Dallas Elementary temporary building, a 500 foot line extending from Pear Tree Lane to Dallas School District property, has been completed. Installation costs are in- cluded in the Federal grant for the build- ing, and the line will also enable the junior and senior high school buildings to be connected to the sewer system. Douglas Diehl, representative of Roy Weston, environmental engineers and project engineers for the Dallas Area Municipal Authority, announced at the recent DAMA meeting that the work at the school site, which is being done by John Connelly Construction Company, is excellent. : Members of DAMA agreed that the school district should be encouraged to hook up to the system as soon as possible so that paving, which will be done in the spring, will not have to be disturbed again. : Mr. Deihl also reported that final plans for the first extension in the system are nearing completion. This five mile line will include Dug Road area, Stonehedge, Powder Horn Drive, Machell Avenue, White Birch Trailer Court and Orchard View Terrace. Cost is estimated at $750,000. Applications for federal and state aid are being filled out by DAMA. Construction should begin about spring of 1974. Treatment plant property damaged by the June flood has been restored at a cost SEH of approximately $11,000 by the B. G. Coon Construction Company. The cost was financed by O.E.P. R. Spencer Martin, chairman of the Authority, signed an application for a state operating and maintaining subsidy which will amount to approximately $11,000 a year. h Tom Bagley, chief operator of the treatment plant, reported that 1862 con- nections have been completed. Mr. Martin warns residents that sewer lines are not to be connected until DAMA—authorized inspection has been made. Any sewer line that has not been inspected will have to be dug up by the contractor for a test. All lines must be in- spected before they can be used. bringing borough police salaries into line with those of other Back Mountain police. Chief Titus’ salary was set at $7,800; the patrolmen’s at $7,200. : The budget was unanimously approved by council, after the question of a $.25 per hour increase for special police was settled. Mayor Stephen Hartman ad- vocated the pay increase, suggesting that makes little sense to destroy their initiative for $.25 an hour.” Councilman Willard Newberry moved the question, and specials were granted the pay hike by a three to one vote which found Councilmen William Berti and Pre- sident George Thomas lining up with Mr. Newberry. Councilman Jerry Machell balked at the increase, noting that the budgetary allotment for special police wages did not provide sufficient funds for the raise. A public hearing on the borough’s pro- posed zoning ordinance was slated for Jan. 23 at the borough building, with Solicitor Charles D. Lemmond Jr. urging dinance very carefully before the hear- (continued on PAGE FIVE)
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