Crime

Before Mr. Burris Went To Washington and Made a Scene There Was Mr. Vare from Philadelphia?

carla — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:40:32 +0000

Well, well, well...it seems that political corruption is also an age old tradition in Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia? Who knew?

Main Line Millions Missing? Do We Have a Local Madoff in Our Midst?

carla — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:41:42 +0000

Wow! This is like the old Dana Girls Mystery "The Circle of Footprints", only it's a REALLY big cash box. Apparently,an unlicensed money manager named Joseph S. Forte is suspected of pulling a Madoff on the Main Line, as in he made off with MILLIONS? (Of course I wonder what charities or individuals on the Main Line may be affected by the entire Madoff mess?) Anyway, this Joseph Forte represented a rather large foundation and other non-profits according to published media reports, and I can't help but wonder why they would entrust all of this to someone who doesn't appear to have any of the licensing one would expect of an investment professional?After all, people do not just wake up one morning and become and investment advisor or broker do they? Does it or does it not require a heck of a lot of training? So the affected charity most discussed in the paper is called The Thornton D. & Elizabeth S. Hooper Foundation, and a little googling shows them to be a quiet force in many, many renown charities and non-profits including but not limited to places like Main Line Health, Semper Fi Injured Marine Fund, Bartrams Garden, PA Horticultural Society, Cradles to Crayons, etc. This foundation apparently might be based in Wayne, PA according to taxexemptworld.com, and foundationcenter.org showed them as one of the top 50 PA foundations by giving dollars circa 2006. Read the article in The Inquirer, and I am sure this is but the first of many stories on the mysterious Joe Forte, the Main Line Madoff from Delco. Posted on Tue, Jan. 6, 2009 Millions missing at Philadelphia-area charity By Harold Brubaker INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

A charitable foundation on the Main Line has lost as much as $15 million entrusted to a self-employed Broomall investment manager, according to one of its trustees.

Another Burglary Alert - Lower Merion

carla — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:09:13 +0000

There is an e-mail circulating from several sources concerning a recent attempted burglary. This is not a call to freak out where you live, but simply a reminder that we are living in economically troubled times, so we need to be smart and aware. Here is an excerpt of the e-mail, which I assume originated with the LMPD, and I am glad to see them telling residents what is going on. Again, this is NOT a reason to freak, just be AWARE. I think the LMPD is trying to tell us they are out there watching and not to be afraid to call if something troubles you:

SCAM Alert From Lower Merion Township

carla — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:05:18 +0000

I received an e-mail from one of Lower Merion Township's Commissioners (Jenny Brown) a few moments ago regarding a *new* Nigerian scam (the usual ones are via e-mail):

Friends, The Lower Merion Police Department has advised the Commissioners of a growing scam. It is version of the well known "Nigerian Scam." The scammers are sending checks in the mail with a letter advising the recipient that he/she has one a lottery or suddenly come into an inheritance. The letter usually includes instructions to deposit the check, but immediately wire a sum of money to cover the tax or fees of the winnings. The scammers sometimes also telephone the recipient. The scam is successful when the recipient deposits the check and wires money to the sender before the check clears - and of course, the check never clears because it is fraudulent. There is no way to get back the wired funds. Please do not hesitate to contact Lower Merion Police Department (610-649-1000) if you receive an unexpected letter advising you that you have come into a sum of money. Jennifer W. Brown, Esq.

Overnight Graffiti (12/30/08) in Haverford (Lower Merion Township)

carla — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:43:27 +0000

It is bad enough that this poor neighborhood lost a 19th frame house to demolition a couple days ago and has had burglaries in the general vicinity....now this neighborhood is a victim of overnight graffiti.

Brazen Christmas Day Burglary in Haverford

carla — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 23:17:52 +0000

As if our small businesses don't have enough problems in this economy, a brazen thief has broken into a local Haverford (Lower Merion) business on Lancaster Avenue for the second time in exactly one week. Yes, once again the salon at 566 West Lancaster Avenue was robbed as per the owner, once again on Christmas day!

New Trend in Robberies...Thanks Cash for Gold

carla — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:51:17 +0000

Ask them no questions, they'll tell you no lies. The new proliferation of cash for gold websites and stores is causing an upswing in smash and grabs....but apparently not just the reatil store variety. This is happening in homes as well. And have you seen the crowd at Fadens in Bryn Mawr? Imagine how easy it is to rob all of us and go to conveniently placed Fadens? Wanna bet their business is doing better then anyone else's on Lancaster Avenue from Bala to Malvern? Thanks to these scummy stores, and because they ask no questions, and probaly don't care where the god comes from , people's homes are getting robbed during the day in a smash and grab kind of thing. The Inquirer reports this in Chestnut Hill, which is upscale and comperable to the Main Line.

Maybe we really SHOULD Free Levi

Haverford19041 — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:32:27 +0000

Honestly, Sarah Palin, the nobody from nowhere special is the gift that keeps on giving. During the campaign there was an underground T-Shirt movement. The shirts said "Free Levi" . The shirts referred to the wondering if Lvi was being pushed into a shotgun wedding for knocking up one of Palin's progeny - Bristol. So anyway, Levi's mommy got popped for hilbilly heroin - yes - Levi's momma was arrested on some drug charges. Wow, think of what had happened had the election gone the other way? We would have had our first first felon, huh? Bristol Palin's baby-grandmother, Sherry Johnston, busted on drug charges BY NANCY DILLON in Los Angeles and CELESTE KATZ in New York DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS Updated Friday, December 19th 2008, 9:35 PM

Local Holiday Burglary Alert! Be Smart, Be Aware, Be Safe!

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:44:42 +0000

Hi. I received an e-mail that was forwarded to me from another friend a few minutes ago about holiday crime on the rise in a tough economy:

...a very important heads up....neighbors should be made aware of....this past weekend....the rear door of Roche & O'Briens on Lancaster Avenue in Haverford was forced in and a small cash box removed. They did not loose much money apparently, but were burgled..... this morning apparently there was some sort of [incident] at the Tanning Salon on the corner of Old Buck and Lancaster Ave....Wilke Lexus will be beefing up their security at all of their properties [due to this]....they want neighbors to be aware and keep an eye on each other as a sort of a buddy system through out the holidays. Of course, common sense rules the day - if you see something suspicious, don't confront a potential criminal, call the police. And when you go out, adopt the best practice of locking up, leaving lights on, etc.

OK, so don't let Scrooge ruin the holidays, be safe and smart out there!

Gun Toting Athletes

politeia — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:35:13 +0000

I found the below article on athletes and guns interesting in the Sunday Inquirer.

Posted on Sun, Dec. 7, 2008
Philly pro athletes talk about guns
By Ashley Fox and Sam Carchidi
Inquirer Staff Writers

What is With Racism on PA College Campuses?

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:21:55 +0000

What is up with all the racial incidents of late on college campuses in Pennsylvania? Lehigh, LaSalle, and St. Joseph's University? What is wrong with people? Have we come so far in this country that we are about to crawl back into the deep dark hole of an uglier time? Is this the change we can look forward to? A country full of screwed up racists? Is this what they are teaching in college? Of course, to play devil's advocate are these incidents real, or have they been designed to draw attention to past issues at these schools? Posted on Wed, Nov. 12, 2008 2 universities probe racial incidents By Susan Snyder Inquirer Staff Writer

More Sad Dog Tales..PSPCA This Time

MainLineThoughts — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:02:34 +0000

I was reading this article in the Daily News and was thinking it was a routine expose prompted by former employees, and then I got to this one paragraph which bascially screams that the PENNSYLVANIA SPCA is abusing pets? Read this article yourself and you tell ME - I am excerpting the one section which disturbs me the most, but read the entire article, which is VERY long... Posted on Mon, Nov. 10, 2008

Public Works Employee in Haverford Township Has a Double Life?

MainLineThoughts — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:52:08 +0000

"Yikes" and "Double Yikes" is the best way to describe this whole scenario...drugs and guns... dude had a job with Haverford Township...OH MY...check out what Haverford Blog is saying too.... Honestly, these are very dumb "urban farmers", are they not? If you are going to call in a burglary, shouldn't they hide the illegal stuff?

Main Line Chiropractor To Hit Man: You Scratch My Back, I'll Rub Yours?

MainLineThoughts — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:55:07 +0000

Honestly, what is wrong with people? And what is with people we call "doctor" going nuts? First we have the good Dr. McFarland, A/K/A "Needles" McFarland and his Avalon dumping habit,now we have the case of Alan "Killer" Kushner, a Main Line Doctor who wanted his patients to bump off his ex? So basically, this chiropractor wanted to hire patients to kill his wife? Wow...nice people...read on: Chiropractor to patients: Kill my wife By DAFNEY TALES Philadelphia Daily News talesd@phillynews.com 215-854-5084

This Newtown Square Family Sure Is a Killer, Eh?

MainLineThoughts — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:40:30 +0000

Ok, so we were all horrified when we heard on the news that an innocent grandmother was murdered by a drunk driver. A drunk driver who was going the wrong way on the Blue Route after getting bombed and stoned. Yep, Roisin O'Neill sounds like a blooming rose allrighty. This babe KNEW, she KNEW she was going the wrong way and did it anyway - speeding up the Blue Route for a few miles beeping her horn and flashing her lights instead of JUST PULLING OVER. Should this young woman rot in jail for this? And this is the woman whose brother has killed someone - her brother is Sean O'Neill who shot a high school classmate. And daddyio also has issues and is facing deportation back to the old country, so what in heaven's name is the rest of the family like? And the brother who shot his classmate? Earlier this month he got popped for violating probation.

Armed Robbery in Bryn Mawr...add it to the growing list along the Main Line?

MainLineThoughts — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:19:11 +0000

Another armed robbery on the Main Line? Yep, it's true. This time it was the restaurant Tango at the Bryn Mawr Train Station. Is this another "sign of the times"?

The Jamie Cockayne Murder: Verdict and Message From Virgin Islands Public Information Officer

carla — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:02:10 +0000

**UPDATE** A beautiful message from Jamie's mom. An excerpt will be posted, and we should abide by a mother's wishes to finally be able to find peace and grieve for her son:

Good morning Melody, As in the past, if called upon, I will speak out honestly regarding my feelings. I will not go back and revisit the issues I had with the police during the investigation. I believe that would be counter productive at this point. What is important is a guilty verdict, a life in prison sentence for Ward. Now we can only wait to see the length of incarceration Kamal and Boston receive for the brutal beating Jamie received, which led to his murder. Communication is key in these situations and until the Justice Department hired their Public Relations Officer this past spring, communication did not exist....There were multitudes of local people that pleaded with us to fight until the end, to use any means to receive Justice for Jamie. My thanks to Renee Gumbs-Carty and the jury for their time and efforts. As to the prosecution and conviction rate, I will leave that to you to revisit. The last I read there have been more than 30 homicides in the VI in 2008. My fight is over, yours has just begun....This started with my son Jamie but during the past year and a half it became a fight we raged for all victims on St. John. I do hope the bad people will think twice from now on and realize that once in a great while, Justice will prevail. I thank the witnesses and prosecution for their bravery and sense of citizenship. Now please allow me to rest, Jeanie Cockayne

Amen to that. Original parts of this particular post: **UPDATE 10/12/08**: Another e-mail from the VI PD PIO:

Melody melody851@yahoo.com dateSat, Oct 11, 2008 at 8:54 PM subjectRe: James "Jamie" Cockayne hide details 8:54 PM (14 hours ago) Reply Thank you, if you would correct the young lady's name I would appreciate it. I should have looked it up. I meant no disrespect by my spelling of the name. The young lady is still missing and her loved ones still have hope. I Thank you in advance if you would assist me with this. As for speaking out, it is difficult for police to make definitive statements regarding an ongoing investigation. I am sure you followed the events leading up to the trial and saw that a third suspect was not named until much later. The police report what was found at the scenes and in the interviews; however once the Justice Department begins to examine the evidence things may change. Once the defense attorneys begin their investigations and earn the trust of their clients, even more information may be revealed. So in the early stages making definitive comments could have been counter productive and could possibly have jeopardized the case. Basically the situation can remain fluid until the jury makes a decision. Every homicide case brought to trial in the past two years have resulted in guilty verdicts in the VI. I say the last two years because I have only been on this job for less then a year and have only researched statistics for the last two years. Each trial has taken an average of one year to be heard in front of the jury. I find the VIPD to be very deliberative in making arrests, especially when it comes to murder cases. They generally do not make an arrest until they are certain that arrest will result in a conviction. In the case of Jamie, we are all satisfied that justice was served. I do not mean to stir up any bad feelings among friends of the deceased, I only ask that the verdict be given at least half as much publicity as the events leading up to it. Respectfully Melody Rames

What did they say to the man from Chicago who was beaten to a pulp a couple of years ago? Or other crime victims? Don Calloway on August 10, 2006? http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000030/003096.htm One thing that became abundantly clear with the murder of Jamie Cockayne was that there were problems in paradise. What has transpired will make those of us stateside forevermore question the safety of an Island paradise that is technically in the United States. And that is the problem they have, unfortunately: it's not like the murder of Jamie Cockayne was an isolated issue. ORIGINAL POST A case that was followed on this website involved the murder of a 21 year old boy named Jamie Cockayne, who happened to be a first cousin of a friend of mine. Jamie had many family members along the Main Line and in Bucks County as well. Apparently, a decision has been reached in the court case...finally... Jamie, way back when, was brutally murdered and left to die on a street on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jamie was murdered within a few hundred feet of a police station, or mini police station. What followed was absolute outrage and a very slow process where Jamie's parents were ignored by public officials and by various media reports threatened. Time dragged on and on and on. It shed an unplesant light on an island "paradise" under the jurisdiction of the United States Government. It shed an unpleasant light on a whole lot of problems in a prime tourist area. And that is the truth and was played out in multiple media outlets in the U.S. Virgin Islands and stateside. People called for boycotts until the murder was solved. After Natalee Holloway and that guy from I think Chicago who was beaten to a pulp while vacationing in the Virgin Islands.

Unlucky Sevens

carla — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:43:50 +0000

Yesterday the U.S. Congress rejected the first go round of the bailout bill. And the markets, writhing with emotion, rumors and innuendo plummeted 777 points. Oh, and Wachovia bit the dust, adding to a large pile of bodies on Wall Street. Yep,what did the dow go down? 777. Of course if you are a Vegas Gambler, you might see 777 as lucky. (And if you want to read about 777 check out this web page) So, my e-mail inbox like many others has been loaded with e-mails railing back and forth on which political party is to blame. News flash: this did not happen overnight, both parties are responsible. So I look at it this way:

Bi Co News is Talking Local Burglaries

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:04:27 +0000

So here is a full fledged article on recent crime on local college campuses. Bravo for BiCo news for talking about it openly. As we all know, colleges are not always forthcoming when it comes to talking about crime on campus since it's bad for business so to speak. Date posted: Tuesday, September 16th, 2008 Section: News Wave of Thefts hits Haverford By Sarah Mills

Naked Burglar On The Loose....In Paoli

MainLineThoughts — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:06:49 +0000

Have you seen naked guy? Yep, there is a naked burglar on the loose in Paoli. It's funny in one sense that how pathetic is this guy to do this, yet scary in the other sense that this dude entered a house and stripped down. But the news this morning said that dumb arse left clothes nehind, which probably means DNA evidence, so this is stupid burglar probably... If the homeowners dog hadn't smelled a funky intruder, who knows? Anyway, here's the sketch:

Why Is Joel Harden of Devon Even ALLOWED To Still Have Dogs or Pets?

MainLineThoughts — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:29:43 +0000

So, let me get this straight: this guy Joel Harden got in trouble but a few short weeks ago when his dog savagely mauled and killed another neighbor's elderly pooch and also bit the neighbor? And so let me get this straight as well the fact that this SAME dude has been in trouble over his dogs and cruelty to animals BEFORE? So why does Joel Harden of Devon still have pets? Why is he allowed to have pets? And why are these dogs who are proven savages allowed to remain in a residential neighborhood? What if they get a kid? And so now we read that once again Joel Harden's dogs are in the news?

It Just Looks Like Graffiti To Us

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:02:13 +0000

So, you know we're big on fighting graffiti because it adds a decrepit air of blight to our communities, right? Well look at this photo we found noodling around on flickr looking for cool Ardmore photos from a person called "Marty In Ardmore" We're pretty sure this is the same mailbox that one of our members photographed before somewhere around Cricket and Spring?

Missing: Bryn Mawr College Grad Hannah Upp

MainLineThoughts — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:23:14 +0000

**UPDATE**: Here is what Bryn Mawr and Haverford College's BiCo News is saying: BiCo News:Date posted: Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 Section: News Hannah Upp BMC ’07 Missing By Andrea Milne

Wynnewood Dentist Questioned in Avalon Medical Waste Dumping..

carla — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:39:49 +0000

There sure has been a lot of activity around Ardmore and Wynnewood today - copters circling near Montgomery Ave and Cherry Lane and Penn Road, and over the Township Building, so whomever Dr. Needle is, he must live close by, eh? Main Line Life is reporting Penn Road....

This is Scary and LMPD Deserves Kudos

MainLineThoughts — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:23:34 +0000

Yes, they DO deserve kudos. And so does this kid for keeping his wits about him and not getting hurt. But it baffles me as well that people think we're like 40 years ago still and can leave doors unlocked. Unlocked doors are an invitation to trouble. People need to pay attention. Yesterday, as a matter of fact, I came home yestersday to a "that person doesn't belong here" in my driveway. They claimed they were looking for someone. My gut said not to believe them and I stayed in my car with my cell phone ready and suggested they leave. They did. Posted on Wed, Aug 27, 2008 Teen in house reports burglary in progress By Kathy O'Loughlin

Why Doth Mr. Zajac Protesteth So Much?

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:39:53 +0000

Now the Danieal Kelly case is a horrible thing we've had countless media reports on. People, understandably had quite the reaction when Radnor School Board Member Eric Zajac made front page news by taking on a civil suit that smells to high heaven. This week's local papers are showing some damage control. But the basic question which has never been answered is : Why did he take the case, really? As a civil action, Mr. Zajac had the free will to turn it down. And he should have. Is this case really worth all the problems he is going through by deciding to take it?

Talk About Compromising Positions

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:07:50 +0000

This senior citizen popped for solicitation used to be an upstate police chief. One article said he was nabbed at 5:20 p.m., so I am guessing there is an "early bird" special that applies? LOL. Posted on Wed, Aug. 27, 2008 Ex-chief, 81, charged with solicitation

EASTON - A former eastern Pennsylvania police chief is facing a charge of soliciting a prostitute.

Despicable Act of Cowardice and Hatred

MainLineThoughts — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:33:35 +0000

So what about this incident of hatred? Swastikas painted on the pavement in front of a synagogue in Penn Valley? Are we so accustomed to hatred and vile behavior in our communities that the media did not consider this newsworthy? Whoever did this is the lowest of the low. It’s not funny. It’s mean, it’s hateful, and it’s sick. This is the worst kind of graffiti. I almost wish this wasn't true and that the report was a mistake, don't you? Reported 24 Av 5768, August 25, '08 Philadelphia Synagogue Driveway Painted With Swastikas

(IsraelNN.com) Swastikas were discovered painted in motor oil on the driveway of a Conservative Jewish synagogue in suburban Philadelphia on Friday. The Lower Merion Police Department promised congregants of Beth Am Israel in Penn Valley that they would look into the incident, and would increase patrols near the synagogue, especially during religious services

PA Dogs Can't Afford These Hersheys Kisses

MainLineThoughts — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 06:02:55 +0000

Art Hershey of Chester County is the ringleader of the movement to quash the puppy mill legislation that is pending. In good old Harrisburg tradition, he is trying to bury the legislation with inane amendments - some say over 100 at this point. The bottom line is this: any breeder or veterinarian or farmer worth their salt should have NO problem with the puppy mill bills. And they are hardly discriminating against the Amish and Mennonites. All it is is seeing that domestic animals are treated humanely. Check out www.stoppapuppymills.org and www.mlar.org and www.aspca.org - Contact Art Hershey and tell him he is an old punk: ahershey@pahousegop.com Home Page: http://www.arthershey.com Hon. Art Hershey 3157 Limestone Road PO Box 69 Cochranville, PA 19330 (610) 593-6565 Fax: (610) 593-7041

Those Killer Dogs in Berwyn Should Be Euthanized...

MainLineThoughts — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:01:41 +0000

...and the owner should be banned from having pets for at least a few years. I am sorry, but this guy with the pits has been in trouble before. AND he has been convicted of animal abuse. He probably made these dogs mean. Man guilty of harboring dangerous dogs Ruling does not end bad feelings with neighbors By Dan Kristie