Crime & Safety

Stockertown Bomb Scare Apparently Just a Scare

Suspect's Jeep checked for radiation

Stockertown’s quiet Main Street appears an unlikely target for a “dirty” bomb, but emergency crews took a Sunday morning scare very seriously.

Turns out there was no bomb, the borough's police chief said.

One man was taken into custody, a police officer told Patch.

Find out what's happening in Palmer-Forkswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A man was committed for mental health reasons after making “bizarre” claims, according to a Morning Call report that cites an anonymous source.

Officials declined to release details even as emergency management experts – one with a hand-held radiation detector – converged on Stockertown’s emergency services building where the suspect’s dark-colored Jeep 4x4 sat roped off by yellow police tape in a garage. The vehicle has a Pennsylvania license plate, American flag emblems on its rear side windows and a tag indicating it was purchased from a Brown-Daub dealership, which is based in Nazareth.

Find out what's happening in Palmer-Forkswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The incident began with a report of a DUI at 2 a.m. followed by a 3 a.m. report of a possible “dirty” bomb on Main Street.     

Reports from the Breaking News Network around 4 a.m. said a suspect allegedly began aiming a "large-caliber gun with a radiological symbol on it" at cars and that the suspect may have "prior operative experience." Police and emergency units limited their radio communication because the suspect reportedly had multiple radios in his possession. 

Traffic from Main Street and Route 33 was detoured for several hours. Residents from a few homes in the 600 block of Main Street were evacuated for short time. The bomb scare shocked neighbors, The Express-Times reported.

A "dirty" bomb is a mix of explosives such as dynamite with radiological material, according to the Centers for Disease Control. More information is available on their website.

Multiple attempts to obtain details from Stockertown police have not been successful. Stockertown has a part-time police force and the police chief was out of town for most of the day Sunday. Mayor Sherman Metzgar said he had no information about the incident.

The Morning Call reported that the FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are involved.

Assisting on Sunday were Lehigh County Emergency Management Agency and the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection.

 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Palmer-Forks