This all happened in less then two days in Allentown. (Bethlehem: apartment, crime rates)

[PA.Dutchman]

While I posted this story Allentown Police were responding to the apartment of another assault victim with EMS on North 7 TH Street. You really don't want to consider Allentown for relocating your family or yourself.

www.mcall.com/news/breaking/all-allentown-robberies-051710-cn,0,701552.story


Allentown police investigate two armed robberies

Allentown police said they are investigating a pair of armed robberies that happened early this morning, including one reported as a home-invasion on 13th.

Police were dispatched at 1:39 a.m. to 38 N. 13th St., where a man said four men wearing masks and carrying handguns entered his home and robbed him of money and other items, police said. No shots were fired and the victim was not injured.

Two hours later, in the 200 block of N. 14th Street, a man told police that two
men, one armed with a knife, approached him and robbed him of a cell phone.
men fled in an unknown direction.

www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-allentown-shooting,0,4572998.story[/SIZE]

Easton man shot in Allentown

Victim survives several gun shot wounds, police say

Of The Morning Call

A 45-year-old Easton man was shot several times at Penn and Wayne streets in center city Allentown early Sunday, police said. The man, whose name has not been released, was taken to Lehigh ValleyHospital-Cedar Crest for treatment. His exact condition was unclear laterSunday, but police said he's still alive.

The shooting is still under investigation.

Brian Callaway Of The Morning Call

"We should never dispair, our situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust it will again. If new difficulties arise we must only put for new exertions and proportion our efforts to exigency of the times."
George Washington

[PA.Dutchman]

Yep, this is what Allentown Twice an "All American City" has turned in to. You still want to relocate here, you will be sorry. There is NO area of Allentown now free and safe from crime.

mcall.com

Police: Baby boy suffers serious injuries during domestic dispute

Manuel Gamiz Jr.
Of The Morning Call
May 17, 2010


A 3-week-old baby boy was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after being struck and seriously injured during a domestic disturbance on N. Seventh Street, Allentown police said.

The baby was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in serious condition, and police are continuing an investigation at 738 N. Seventh, police Capt. Stephen Mould said.

Mould said they were called to the home at 2:51 p.m. on a report of a domestic assault in progress and found the baby suffering from serious injuries.

--Reporting by Manuel Gamiz Jr., The Morning Call

[18060]

The crime rates in our area have gone up dramatically in the last 2 decades. I think the biggest reason is the easy access to NY/Philly for the drug dealers-seems to be a corelation with the opening of 78 in 1989. I remember when I was a kid in the early 80's walking in center city Allentown without a fear in the world. Now I wouldn't even go near the place. Same goes for Whitehall. Even many of the outlying areas like Slatington and Emmaus are slowly getting taken over by drug dealers and hoodlums. And in other places, the house prices aren't much cheaper than they are in NJ/NY anymore.

The cheap living and nice rural way of life that everybody fon NY/NJ came to look for is disappearing, and the Lehigh Valley will be no different in a few years.

[sweatyhotviolentwestpalm]

I am actually looking to move to this area for starters I will be in (Hellertown),however Allentown is not totally out of the question. While I agree crime has increased everywhere,one has to be aware of there surrounding's.
Currently I live in the West Palm Beach area,crime is way out of control,drive bys,car jacking's,convenience store robberies.Per capita & crime per sq mile committed it is actualy worse than NYC ,alot of Gang's in & around west palm beach area.
I have been to Allentown several times there are good & bad area's,but again one has to be aware of your surroundings.CCW is not out of the question,I have one in FL & PA rocognizes FL ccw.
West Palm Beach are just lately had 4 consecutive convenience store robberies,2 store clerks dead all committed in a 5 hr span.South FL draws all the wacks,scammers,fakes,frauds & phony's & is a very high crime transient State.

[PA.Dutchman]

Very very well put my friend. I have lived in the Valley since birth 62 plus years ago. You are right, it is NOT the Valley we knew and loved.

But some people think the locals don't want them to move here or know what we are talking about. That will be their problem not ours.

I have a friend who moved into the WEST PARK NEIGHBORHOOD FROM NEW JERSEY. He was told it was a nice, quiet and a safe neighborhood.

His son was assaulted at Wm Allen, several times at dismissal there have been big fights at West Park after school, and two students were slashed there two weeks ago. One needed 20 stitches to sew his check together.

My friend is so upset he moved here, it is not what he was told Allentown was. The people who sell homes to unsuspecting suckers from out of state should be brought up on fraud charges.

Originally Posted by 18060

The crime rates in our area have gone up dramatically in the last 2 decades. I think the biggest reason is the easy access to NY/Philly for the drug dealers-seems to be a corelation with the opening of 78 in 1989. I remember when I was a kid in the early 80's walking in center city Allentown without a fear in the world. Now I wouldn't even go near the place. Same goes for Whitehall. Even many of the outlying areas like Slatington and Emmaus are slowly getting taken over by drug dealers and hoodlums. And in other places, the house prices aren't much cheaper than they are in NJ/NY anymore.

The cheap living and nice rural way of life that everybody fon NY/NJ came to look for is disappearing, and the Lehigh Valley will be no different in a few years.

[PA.Dutchman]

In many ways it is like the California GOLD RUSH OF 1849. Thousands and thousands fled to California for the gold, except if you weren't there in the first 6 months there was no gold left.

People heard Allentown and the Lehigh Valley was the Promised Land, a quiet peaceful and safe place to relocate to.

WELL THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRUE UP TO 25 YEARS AGO, BUT LIKE THE GOLD RUSH THOSE DAYS ARE LONG OVER, the gold is gone AND NEVER TO BE AGAIN!!

The Valley has been invaded by the same element of criminals and crimes many of you folks are fleeing from.

Allentown was called the Little Apple for years, now it is the Little Rotten Apple.

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by 18060

The crime rates in our area have gone up dramatically in the last 2 decades. I think the biggest reason is the easy access to NY/Philly for the drug dealers-seems to be a corelation with the opening of 78 in 1989. I remember when I was a kid in the early 80's walking in center city Allentown without a fear in the world. Now I wouldn't even go near the place. Same goes for Whitehall. Even many of the outlying areas like Slatington and Emmaus are slowly getting taken over by drug dealers and hoodlums. And in other places, the house prices aren't much cheaper than they are in NJ/NY anymore.

The cheap living and nice rural way of life that everybody fon NY/NJ came to look for is disappearing, and the Lehigh Valley will be no different in a few years.

That is a shame

[kel6604]

Before we moved to Bethlehem I asked where the best places to live near Allentown where. I checked statistics, asked people I knew of that where familiar with this area, and asked on this site. When we decided to look at this house (in Bethlehem) a woman I was speaking to told me she "wouldn't live with her kids there" and that we should move to Whitehall because that's where she lived and it was so much nicer and safer. Well, let's just say, since we've moved and I've met people and seen the news reports and crime in Whitehall and Allentown, I couldn't be happier that I didn't take that advice and moved to Bethlehem!