OF ANY INJURIES. >> A GROUP OF RESIDENTS IN BUCKS COUNTY IS SPARKING CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY. INVESTIGATORS SAY MANY TROUBLED YOUNG MEN WHO LIVE THERE ARE SIMPLY WALKING AWAY FROM THE FACILITY AND COMMITTING VIOLENT CRIMES.
ACTION NEWS REPORTER WALTER PEREZ IS LIVE FROM BENSALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT TONIGHT, WITH THOSE DETAILS. WALTER. >> WELL, RICK, BENSALEM POLICE SAY THEY RESPONDED TO THE SAINT FRANCIS SAINT VINCENT HOME 363 TIMES THIS YEAR ON REPORTS OF A MISSING RESIDENT.
AND WHILE POLICE SAY THAT'S NOT ALTOGETHER UNUSUAL, WHAT HAS THEM CONCERNED IS THE KINDS OF CRIMES SOME OF THEM ARE GETTING INVOLVED IN ONCE THEY LEAVE THE PROPERTY. CHRISTINA LABOY, OF BENSALEM, SAYS IT WAS EARLY MONDAY MORNING WHEN SHE WAS SEVERAL YOUNG MEN SURROUNDED HER CAR, ONE OF THEM PUTTING A GUN TO HER HEAD. >> IT'S TERRIFYING, I FROZE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST LISTENED TO WHAT THEY TOLD ME TO DO. AND THEY THEY TOOK MY CAR. >> APPROXIMATELY 24 HOURS LATER, ANOTHER CAR THEFT IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
THIS POLICE DASH CAM VIDEO SHOWS A BENSALEM POLICE CAR GETTING RAMMED BY THAT SECOND STOLEN VEHICLE A SHORT TIME BEFORE OFFICERS MADE TWO ARRESTS. POLICE ALSO RECOVERED A POCKET KNIFE AND A STOLEN SEMI-AUTOMATIC HANDGUN. THE SUSPECTS, WHO HAVE SINCE BEEN LINKED TO BOTH CRIMES, INCLUDED THE 15 YEAR OLD DRIVER AND 18 YEAR OLD DARREN BATTIS, WHO'S A RESIDENT OF THE SAINT FRANCIS AND SAINT VINCENT HOME IN BENSALEM.
>> THERE'S A LACK OF SUPERVISION AT NIGHT HOURS. >> POLICE COMMISSIONER WILLIAM MCVAY SAYS REPORTS OF YOUNG MEN SIMPLY LEAVING THAT FACILITY AND CREATING PROBLEMS IN THE TOWNSHIP IS NOTHING NEW. BUT HE SAYS WHAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN REPORTS OF PROPERTY CRIME IS NOW DEVELOPING INTO VIOLENT CRIMES INVOLVING A GUN.
>> WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS AN INCREASE IN CHAOS, STEALING FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS, BREAKING INTO CARS, AND NOW THIS ONE. WE CAN'T TOLERATE POINTING A GUN AT A YOUNG WOMAN AND CARJACKING HER. >> ACCORDING TO THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA, SAINT FRANCIS AND SAINT VINCENT IS A PLACE WHERE ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS, PRIMARILY FROM PHILADELPHIA, WHO'VE HAD RUN INS WITH THE LAW, ARE REMANDED BY THE COURTS.
THE ARCHDIOCESE SENT ACTION NEWS, A STATEMENT READING IN PART, SERVING THE NEEDS OF THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION WHILE MAINTAINING A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN BENSALEM REMAIN OUR TOP PRIORITIES. NOW, THERON BATTIS HAS SINCE BEEN CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON A POLICE OFFICER CAR THEFT AND WEAPONS OFFENSES. TONIGHT, HE REMAINS BEHIND BARS ON 10% OF $3 MILLION BAIL.
REPORTING LIVE FROM BENSALEM POLICE.
