Officer Paul Davis introduced Lehigh County Auto Theft Task Force Detective Salvatore Aprile at the May 23 Whitehall Township Crime Watch meeting. Aprile presented the results of the May 21 recycling, document shredding and VIN etching event held on the grounds of the township’s municipal building.

“This year we had 55 cars come through,” Aprile said.

Among Lehigh County residents and administration, the auto theft task force “received a lot of positive feedback” on this year’s event. This is the seventh year the VIN etching event has taken place.

Aprile and the task force are always fighting auto theft, he said.

“We are doing what we can for the citizens of Whitehall,” especially since auto thefts have increased as of late. Aprile said auto thefts are up 40 percent in Lehigh County alone. One of the things Aprile and the task force are encouraging and focusing on this year is taking the keys out of your vehicle.

“Remember to take your keys from your vehicle; lock it up; don’t leave it running at a convenience store; and don’t hide a set of keys in the ash tray or glove box,” he said. “A lot of our cars throughout the county have been taken with the keys.”

In other Crime Watch meeting news, for the month of April, there were 10 burglaries, eight driving under the influence cases and four disorderly conducts. There were 98 car accidents - 30 reportable and 86 nonreportable, which is a reduction, Davis said.

Acting Chief of Police Michael J. Marks said the department is down to 38 officers. Part of that number is due to retirees and injured officers.

Seven or eight candidates, Marks informed, will be attending the police academy, which is sponsored by Allentown, July 11-Dec. 2.

“Once that cadet gets out of the academy, then [he or she has] four months to look forward to, riding around with a training officer,” Mark said. The full education and training total approximately one year.

Additionally, the department will be giving its police test Sept. 3.

Crime Watch meetings are held the fourth Monday of each month in the public meeting room of Whitehall Township Municipal Building, 3219 MacArthur Road, Whitehall. Meetings start 7 p.m. and are open to the public.