Vandals Hit Vehicles Used To Help Homeless

A nonprofit that helps transport the homeless had two of its vehicles damaged this week.

Advocates for Homeless and Those in Need (AHTN) had their newer-model 15-passenger bus and a minivan parked at the Emmaus Road Church on Bristol Oxford Valley Road in Middletown vandalized Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.

The minivan had its windshield wipers mangled, a tampered gas tank with signs that sand was poured into it, and a damaged mirror. The bus had its durable bicycle rack wrecked, damage to the two folding doors, and a busted mirror. An AHTN sign with a sand-filled base also appeared to be thrown at the bus, said Karen Mineo, AHTN managing consultant.

Middletown police found the damage to the vehicles Wednesday around 1 a.m.

Chief of Police Joseph Bartorilla said the suspects in the vandalism case were two while males reportedly wearing baggy pants and dark-colored sweatshirts.

A gray Dodge Neon with two men matching the description of the suspects was spotted speeding away from the area of the church early Wednesday morning, the chief said.

Mineo said the damage forced AHTN to cancel transporting locals in need to a free shared meal Wednesday evening at St. James Episcopal Church on Walnut Street in Bristol Borough. The fact that the two vehicles were put out of service also forced a volunteer to use their personal vehicle to take some of the people AHTN helps to a Thursday drug court session at the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown.

AHTN uses the bus in the colder months to transport members of the local homeless population to overnight shelters around Lower Bucks County.

The damage that put the bus and minivan out of service came as the nonprofit already has their small yellow school bus in the shop for work.

“It just was disheartening to find out it happened,” Mineo said.

Thankfully, Mineo said, no access was made to the inside of the vehicles and police cautioned AHTN from starting the minivan when there was a concern sand was poured into the gas tank.

The damaged vehicles were taken to Bertrand’s Auto Repair Center in Penndel for restoration work.

By Thursday afternoon, the AHTN bus was back on the road and there was hope the minivan, which carries a child seat and booster seat, would be back on the streets by early next week, Mineo explained.

The nonprofit has started a fundraiser to help pay for the repairs, which Bertrand’s Auto Repair Center is AHTN helping cover, and a surveillance system for the parking lot at Emmaus Road Church. The group is looking to raise $4,000.

The bus was purchased several years back after Calkins Media’s Buck Up Bucks County campaign raised $60,000 for AHTN. The minivan was obtained by AHTN thanks to a grant from the Warrington-based Broken Wing Foundation. St. Mary Medical Center also contributed to the special children’s seats for the minivan.

This latest incident is not the first time AHTN has dealt with vandalism. In 2013, construction of a storage facility at the Emmaus Road Church was delayed due to cinder block that was destroyed and metal that was stolen.