Police Blotter: Home Burglaries, Thefts From Cars, DUI

Reverend's Home Burglarized, $200 Taken

On Feb. 4 at approximately 3:05 p.m., responded to on 3625 Chapel Road for a reported burglary attempt at the residential home on the property. Upon arrival, police met with the reverend of the church and homeowner. According to the report, the reverend showed police a windowpane on the lower portion of a laundry room door in the basement of the home that had been smashed out. According to police, after smashing out the window, someone had reached in and unlocked all three of the locks on the door. However, police said entry had been prevented due to a low hanging air duct, which only left about 5-6 inches of space between the door and the wall. According to the report, there were two children and two dogs in the home at the time of the incident. The daughter told police she had discovered the broken window when she went to the basement laundry room to check on a load of laundry. Approximately 45 minutes later, according to the report, the daughter noticed the windowpane of the door had been smashed out and there was glass shattered on the floor, which was not there 45 minutes ago. The reverend reminded police that this was the third burglary on the church property in the past seven months. According to the report, $200 was discovered missing from a drawer in the son’s bedroom. The cash was hidden in a leather planner, which was also taken. The planner was valued at approximately $25. Police are further investigating this incident.

Woman Involved in Accident Unaware of Crash

On Feb. 2 at approximately 9:10 p.m., police responded to South Newtown Street/Route 252 and Troop Farm roads for a reported two-vehicle accident. Upon arrival, police observed a small Kia with heavy front-end damage just before the intersection and a second vehicle, a silver SUV, ahead of the vehicle past the intersection sitting on the shoulder of Rt. 252. When police approached the driver of the Kia, police observed the driver’s side door was open and Alyssa Benson, 25, of Wallingford, was sitting on the driver’s side seat. According to the report, police detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Benson. When asked if she had been drinking, Benson responded ‘yes,’ and indicated that she had consumed about five glasses of wine. When police asked about the accident that had just occurred, Benson replied, “What accident?” according to the report. Police conducted several sobriety tests in which Benson failed all of them. A portable breathalyzer test was performed in which a blood alcohol content of 0.19 percent was recorded. Benson was transported to Riddle Memorial Hospital. Benson was arrested and charged for DUI and careless driving.

GPS Stolen From Car on Valley View Lane

On Jan. 29 at approximately 1:56 p.m., police responded to the unit block of Valley View Lane in the Valley View Acres neighborhood for a reported theft from a vehicle. According to the report, a Garmin GPS with two wireless headsets were reported missing. According to the report, the GPS was removed from the man’s unlocked vehicle sometime over the weekend. The GPS was valued at approximately $200.

Homeowner Finds Burglar in Dining Room

On Jan. 27 at approximately 2:35 p.m., police responded to the unit block of Rockwood Road for a report of an interrupted burglary. According to the incident report, the homeowner told police they had seen a man enter their home through a window. When the homeowner discovered the man in the dining room of the home, the man fled the home through the front door, according to the report. Upon speaking to the homeowner, police were able to receive a description of the burglar and a potential suspect. Police were able to match the individual who was involved in the burglary to Brendan Meehan, 22, of Newtown Square. During questioning at his home, Meehan had initially denied being involved in the burglary but agreed to go outside his home as police drove the homeowner past Meehan’s residence to identify or rule him out as a suspect in the incident. The homeowner confirmed that Meehan was the same man they had encountered at their home earlier, according to the report. Meehan later told police that he was “bored” and needed money since he was out of work, and admitted that he knew someone had just moved into the residence hoping for valuables. In addition, according to the report, Meehan told police that he had his shirt that he had worn during the incident in case police came to his home to question him in which the shirt was retrieved for police evidence. Meehan was arrested and charged for burglary, criminal trespassing/breaking into a structure and for attempt of theft by unlawful taking or disposition.

$44 Stolen From Car in Larchmont Area

On Jan. 27 at approximately 2:52 p.m., police responded to the unit block of Northwood Road in the Larchmont neighborhood of Newtown Square for a reported theft from a vehicle. According to the report, police were flagged down by two women while on patrol and told police that the daughter had just come home from school when they noticed her dad’s car door was wide open. The mother was informed and later discovered that her husband’s wallet was on the front driver seat and appeared it had been rifled through. The husband later told police that he had left his car unlocked and left his wallet inside a backpack on the front passenger seat of the car. According to the report, $44 was reported missing from his wallet.