Mounted Police Stop Smithy Cash Box Grab

Two would-be thieves tried to make off with the cash donation box from the Historic Bethlehem Partnership’s Blacksmith Shop downtown, but were quickly confronted with the city’s Mounted Police Unit.

After a brief chase, the two juveniles are in custody, according to the Bethlehem Police Blog.

The attempted theft happened a little before 1 p.m. The two boys entered the Smithy at 425 Main St. and started to ask questions. Then, one of them grabbed the cash donation box and both of them ran for the door, police said.

Right outside, the boys found themselves nose-to-nose with George and Pharaoh, two of the horses in the city’s mounted patrol. The juvenile carrying the box turned around to hand the cash box back to the blacksmith and said: “Sorry,” according to police.

Then, the boys tried to run away, down the embankment to . The mounted officers followed and called for backup. Within a minute, 15 officers were scouring the area from Johnston Park to , police said.

One of the boys tried to hide in the Monocacy Creek, but was spotted by a mounted officer. The other boy was caught on Conestoga Street by a bicycle officer and other patrol officers, police said.