Police Blotter: Lehigh Students Robbed at Gunpoint

Two Lehigh University students were robbed at gunpoint early Saturday morning on E. Fifth Street near Buchanan Street in South Bethlehem, city police said.

The victims, a 26-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man, were both walking home from a bar at a little after 2 a.m. when a man approached and asked to speak to them, police said. He then brandished a black, automatic-type weapon and took the woman’s purse, along with other valuables.

The assailant then fled north on Buchanan Street and west on Morton Street, police said. The suspect was described as black, 5-foot, 9-inches tall, with a dark-hooded sweat jacket and a mask over his face.

Man caught, belligerent after South Side burglary

A Bethlehem man was jailed after police caught him just after burglarizing a home on Wyandotte Street early Sunday morning, city police said.

Geraldo Vazquez, 24, of 629 Hayes St., then got himself into further trouble by spitting in an officer’s face during processing at the police station, police said. For that, Vazquez was charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, along with charges of criminal mischief and receiving stolen property.

Vazquez, who allegedly had broken a window and kicked in a door at the home, told police that he was a cousin of the residents, who subsequently told police they did not know him. When he was caught at a little after 3 a.m., Sunday, police said, he was carrying a gun that had been stolen in Allentown.

Man walking home struck from behind

A man walking home alone on the North Side on Saturday night was the victim of an attempted robbery on the 800 block of Masslich Street, police said.

The 51-year-old man said he was struck from behind, knocked to the ground and then kicked before his two attackers tried to empty out his pockets, police said. The victim was able to fight the attackers off before they could complete the theft and they fled the scene, police said.

Easton man accused of choking his girlfriend 

An Easton man is in Northampton County Prison on charges he choked his girlfriend to the point of unconsciousness on Friday afternoon, police said.

Kyle Rudolph, 33, of 206 E. Lincoln St., Easton, was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault and harassment following the attack at 638 Broadway.

Rudolph is also accused of shoving a friend who tried to help his girlfriend during the attack, which took place at a little after 2 p.m. Friday, police said.

Car stolen from valet line at Sands Casino

Police have issued an arrest warrant for a New York state man who allegedly got into a car that did not belong to him on a valet line at the Sands Bethlehem Casino Resort and drove off, police said.

Joseph Mangiaracina, 40, of New Windsor, N.Y., is accused of driving off in the BMW, which was parked in the valet line with its keys inside, shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday morning, police said. Meanwhile, Mangiaracina left his own car behind at the casino, police said.

The stolen BMW was later located in Hellertown, but Mangiaracina was not found. He is charged with theft and receiving stolen property.