Sewickley police are reminding residents to keep their doors locked after a recent rash of vehicle break-ins in the Nevin Avenue neighborhood.  

One of the break-ins resulted in a stolen vehicle. Police said a Centennial Avenue resident reported his Toyota Sienna van stolen overnight Jan. 17.

Police said the owner, Joseph Coyle, last saw his van at 1:30 a.m. when he arrived home from a work party. Police said the van had been parked in the 500 block of Nevin Avenue, and a spare set of keys were possibly taken from the glove compartment or center console.

Police said a juvenile from Stowe Township is facing charges after he was caught driving the stolen vehicle to school. Additional information about the charges against the juvenile was unavailable Monday.

Police were recently investigating other burglaries in the Nevin Avenue area.

At 9:45 p.m. Jan. 16, officers were called  for a report of a purse stolen from a car in the 500 block of Nevin Avenue. Police said the car had been parked for about an hour and the vehicle was left unlocked. The stolen purse contained cash, credit cards and a pair of tickets to the Jan. 17 Pittsburgh Penguins game.

Police spoke with the Pittsburgh burglary squad about the hockey tickets, due to security procedures regarding stolen tickets. Pittsburgh police planned to be on the lookout for someone in the seats.

While patrolling the Nevin Avenue area, police found a parked car at 1:38 a.m. Jan. 17 with the driver’s side door wide open in the 600 block. Police said the owner didn’t remember leaving the door ajar but thought he might have done so while bringing groceries into the house. Nothing was missing from the car.

At 1:45 a.m. Jan. 17, an officer noticed an interior light on in another car in the 700 block. Police said the car door was unlocked and the center console was open. The owner couldn’t find anything missing and was advised to keep his vehicle locked because of recent break-ins.

Sewickley Police also responded to these recent incidents.

Shots fired reports

Police were dispatched at 3:24 a.m. Jan. 17 to the 1500 block of Railroad Street for a report of shots fired in the area. Police said Coraopolis police had received a report of fireworks. The caller told Sewickley police that one shot was fired and it sounded like it came from across the river. Police checked the surrounding area but found nothing suspicious.

Shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday police responded  to a report of shots fired in the area of the 800 block of Thorn Street. Police determined that a juvenile lit a firecracker in the area.

Street sweeper crash

No one was injured after a two-vehicle crash involving a car and the borough’s street sweeper at 9:45 a.m. Jan. 17 in the 600 block of Grove Street.

Police said the crash occurred as Sam Bruno, operating the sweeper, was coming down the street and another vehicle was backing out of a driveway. Police said Bruno sideswiped a parked car belonging to Nancy Fargel of McKees Rocks. Police said no damage was visible on the sweeper but Fargel’s car had a busted driver-side mirror, driver-side damage to the front quarter panel, scuff marks on the tire rim and a long scrape along the bottom of two side doors.

Two-vehicle crash

Police responded shortly before 7 p.m. Jan. 17 to a two-vehicle crash in the borough. Police said a a 16-year-old Sewickley girl was driving a vehicle that turned from Route 65 onto Broad Street into the path of Shawn Bazmore’s vehicle. The teen's passenger was treated for a sore arm but refused to go to the hospital, police said. Bazmore of Ambridge was not injured. Both vehicles had to be towed, police said.

Hit-and-run report

Police caught up with a tractor-trailer driver at 6 p.m. Jan. 17 after someone reported a hit-and-run accident in the 700 block of Broad Street.

The driver, Jack G. Jaquish, told police he was lost and looking for the Leetsdale Industrial Park and didn’t realize he’d struck something and caused property damage as he turned onto Hopkins Street.

Drug dumping report

Police were called at 1 p.m. Jan. 17 to the old Bell Telephone building on Beaver Street for a report of a man throwing away drugs in the Dumpster. Upon arrival, police found the interior of the building was sealed off due to asbestos removal. Police did not find drugs in the Dumpster.

Expired inspection

Police stopped a car at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 12 while traveling on Route 65 at Broad Street when the officer noticed an expired inspection on the vehicle.

Police said Ali Ibrahim of Beaver Falls also had a suspended license. Officers confiscated a New York driver’s license that he was carrying and a machete from his bag. He was advised he would need a court order to get the machete back, police said.

Fire reported

Police were called shortly after 6 p.m. Jan. 9 to the 500 block of Centennial Avenue for a report of a possible electrical fire coming from the second floor laundry room. The fire department checked the building but couldn’t find any signs of a fire, police said.

Tools stolen

Police said someone pried into the back of a pickup truck overnight Jan. 11 in the 300 block of Bank Street and took a toolbox containing numerous tools and a new cordless drill still in the case. The owner discovered the items missing when he left for work in the morning.

Dog complaint

Police were called at 4:17 p.m. Jan. 10 to the 600 block of Grimes Street for a report of a dog that attacked another dog. Police said the owner of the aggressive dog said he planned to enroll his pet into behavioral training classes. The owner was warned he would be cited if the problem persists.

Road debris

Police were called at noon Jan. 21 to the 500 block of Route 65 for a report of debris in the road. Police arrived and did not find debris.