AVONDALE, PA — Pennsylvania State Police in Avondale reported a wide-ranging series of incidents across Chester County in mid-December, including retail thefts, a DUI arrest, child abuse referrals, crashes, domestic disputes, fraud cases, and a reported cryptocurrency scam totaling approximately $170,000, according to a compilation of incident reports released by the agency.
Troopers responded to multiple retail theft incidents involving Walmart locations in East Marlborough and Lower Oxford townships. In one case, a 20-year-old West Chester man was arrested after allegedly stealing a compression shirt and a shaker bottle valued at about $28 from the Walmart Supercenter on School House Road in East Marlborough Township. In a separate Lower Oxford Township case, a 62-year-old Maryland woman was accused of stealing nearly $145 worth of merchandise from the Walmart on Commons Drive. Another retail theft investigation remained pending at the East Marlborough Township Walmart, where store items valued at more than $370 were reported stolen.
State police also reported a DUI arrest following a traffic stop in Franklin Township. Troopers said a 24-year-old Delaware man was stopped while driving a Chevrolet Silverado and was found to be under the influence of alcohol during the investigation.
Several investigations involved allegations of child-related offenses. Troopers received a report of suspected child abuse from a mandated reporter at a childcare and education center in London Grove Township after marks were allegedly observed on a juvenile student’s legs. In a separate London Grove Township case, police initiated a child line referral after receiving a report that a 14-year-old had allegedly sent nude images to an online contact. Another child line investigation in New London Township was later closed.
Police documented multiple crashes across the coverage area, including incidents in West Fallowfield, Upper Oxford, and Pennsbury townships. None of the crashes reported resulted in injuries, though vehicles sustained damage and were towed from the scenes.
Troopers also investigated several fraud and scam cases. In Pocopson Township, a 55-year-old West Chester woman reported losing $500 in an alleged Facebook Marketplace scam. In Pennsbury Township, a Kennett Square woman reported fraudulent credit card transactions totaling more than $1,380. The most significant reported loss involved a 79-year-old Pennsbury Township man who told police he lost approximately $170,000 in an alleged cryptocurrency scam.
Additional incidents included a reported domestic dispute in Franklin Township, a physical altercation between two Oxford residents that resulted in harassment and simple assault charges, a false alarm violation in East Marlborough Township, and a possible burglary in Pocopson Township where a residence was found unsecured but no stolen property could be confirmed.
All charges and allegations outlined in the report are preliminary. Suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Police noted that investigations in several cases remain ongoing and that details may change as additional information becomes available.
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