Alburtis Borough Councilman Kyle Avery Bower, 19, of Alburtis, is facing additional legal trouble after allegedly taking political signs and driving through soybean fields.

Sometime during the night of Oct. 3, three political signs were stolen from the front lawn of a home in Alburtis which was reported to the police Oct. 4.

That same morning Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville investigated a report of a vehicle that had been driven through about an acre of soybean fields on Jaindl's farm and abandoned on Smith Lane and Ruth Road, Lower Macungie Township.

When the police investigated, they found the car with no keys in it and determined it was registered to Bower. The stolen political signs and two bottles of beer, one half empty, were in the car.

According to District Attorney James B. Martin, Bower is being charged with agricultural crop destruction, a second-degree felony; agricultural vandalism, a second-degree misdemeanor; criminal mischief, a third-degree misdeameanor; and summary offenses of abandonment of a vehicle, trespass by motor vehicle and restriction on alcoholic beverages. In addition, he has been charged with misdemeanors of theft by unlawful taking or disposition and receiving stolen property.

Bower is now in custody for breaking his probation.

In a small, close-knit community as Alburtis Borough the entire community feels what happened.

Alburtis elected Bower into office with the hopes it would give him a new start on life. For the past two years Bower has been in and out of trouble in the neighboring communities of Kutztown and Macungie as well as Alburtis but he expressed a desire to change his life. The avenue he chose to accomplish this was through service to the people as a public official. Bower ran for office and won because the people had faith in this young man and wanted to help him. He was sworn into office Jan. 4, 2011, the same day of his hearing. Reactions from borough council members and citizens of Alburtis vary from frustration of the unexpected to even disgust.

"I am very disappointed in him," Alburtis Borough Council President Steven Hill said. "He had the chance to show everybody that this could be a success story. From where he was a year ago to about a week ago he was doing fine. I want him to resign. If he does not we will ask him to resign. He is charged with a felony, a major charge."

Hill also said Bower has been doing a good job on council.

"I'm very surprised that he did this," Councilperson Kathleen Raines said. "He was doing a good job on council. He is also a member of Park and Recreation that I chair and he worked with me with the hockey rink. He got donations for paint and painted the hockey rink. I felt that he was turning his life around and this is why I am so surprised now."

Mayor Robert Mader also enjoyed having Bower on council and thought he did a good job until now and expressed concerns about Bower's future and what will happen to him.

"It is a shame that it happened and we will continue on. It has no effect on the borough. I guess he will have to go to rehab but have no idea. He broke probation and whatever it takes, I don't know. As a public figure you are held up to the light," Mader said.

Citizens of Alburtis have expressed a harder view of Bower now and do expect their officials to be upright citizens.

"I think he should be taken out of office immediately because he went back on his word. Just because of the fact that he's not a good representative for Alburtis. You try to hold your officials up to a certain standard. He had a chance to prove himself and didn't," Alburtis resident Paula Boyer said.

A resident, who said they did not vote for Bower and wished to remain anonymous, commented about Bower's arrest.

"I am not pleased with it. The same day he was sworn in, he had a hearing. It makes a joke out of Alburtis. People make jokes about Alburtis. He was previously arrested for stalking and harassment, those are serious charges."