USC Residents Asked to Report Suspicious Activity Immediately

With summer come the inevitable reports of vandalism.

But the summer of 2012 has been out of the ordinary in that regard.

“This is not just a couple of mailboxes being damaged,” Upper St. Clair police Lt. James Englert said Wednesday. “Within the last couple of days, it has not let up at all.”

Township residents on Tuesday afternoon received calls from USC Notify, the emergency notification system launched this year, with the message to report suspicious noise or activity.

The rash of vandalism, which Englert called particularly destructive, started a few weeks ago in the Deerfield Manor plan and since has spread to many other parts of the township. Residents have reported incidents of smashed home and auto glass, destruction of lights and lampposts, and in one case, a garage door was attacked with an object that left three punctures in a panel.

Also, a stained-glass window was broken at St. Gregory Byzantine Catholic Church, and someone smashed the window out of a backhoe parked at Fort Couch Middle School.

Englert said police have been knocking on residents’ doors to ascertain information, and have stepped up patrols.

Residents are asked to call the police department at 412-833-7500 as soon as they notice something suspicious, instead of waiting until morning. They are asked to get license plates of vehicles when possible.

Please band together and try to be the extra ears and eyes out there,” Englert said.