Lewistown police release November activity report

LEWISTOWN — During November, Lewistown Police Department officers were dispatched to 365 incidents, which included: 195 business checks; 52 traffic stops; 39 warnings; 26 citations; 7 suspicious persons; 6 thefts; and 3 burglaries. A total of 29 reports were issued and

12 arrests made.

Police investigate building

on North Dorcas Street

LEWISTOWN — A concerned citizen reported seeing a flashlight in the basement of a building being torn down on the 100 block of North Dorcas Street in Lewistown at 4:48 a.m. on Nov. 28, according to a release issued by the Lewistown Police Department on Friday. Officers responded and found a pile of copper and scrap metal stacked nearby, the report said, and officers summoned the fire department to bring a ladder to access the basement which was approximately

10 feet down to the floor. Officers searched the basement and did not locate anyone, the report said.

Police investigate

local fraud incidents

LEWISTOWN — Lewistown Police Department officers received a complaint from a local elderly resident, whose identity was not revealed, about being a victim of ongoing fraud, according to a release issued on Friday. At 10:28 a.m. on Nov. 28, the resident told officers they had been in regular communication with a female since November 2024, the report said, and the female claimed to be an attorney in Wisconsin. The elderly resident reported that there was communication about the female moving in with the resident to help care for them, the report said, and, at one point, this person asked the resident about their financial status and offered to pay off the resident’s credit cards. The resident sent this person their credit card information, the report said, and since then, the resident has reported more than $26,000 in fraudulent charges across six different accounts. The resident also reported receiving packages which the resident repackaged and sent to an address provided by the female, the report said. The resident also reported receiving a $35,000 check from this female, the report said, and the resident cashed the check and made an immediate withdrawal of a few thousand dollars. This cash was sent to the female at her request, the report said, and the bank notified the resident that the check was fraudulent. This incident is under further investigation, police said.

Lewistown man jailed for assault and harassment

LEWISTOWN — Lewistown Police Department officers responded to the 100 block of North Grand Street in Lewistown at 1:34 a.m. on Nov. 30 for an alleged domestic-related assault, according to a release issued on Friday. Officers spoke with a female who reported being assaulted several times throughout the prior day, the report said, and the female had several bruises and lacerations. The female also reported being choked and had red marks on her neck, the report said, and officers spoke with an accused male, Justin D. Haywood, 35, of Lewistown. Haywood told officers the marks were from the female falling down and from Haywood helping the female stand up, the report said, and police took Haywood into custody, lodged him in the Mifflin County Correctional Facility in Lewistown and charged him with strangulation, simple assault and harassment.