Crime & Safety

Police: Fired Employee's Husband Smashed up Office

Disgruntled husband of fired Nationwide Insurance employee brandished knife, smashed objects and made threats against brokerage owner, Bethlehem police say.

 

The disgruntled husband of an employee who had been fired from a South Bethlehem insurance business entered the brokerage brandishing a knife, making threats and throwing and smashing items around the establishment on Wednesday afternoon, according to an arrest affidavit.

According to court records, Carlos Manuel Cruz-Cosme entered the Nationwide Insurance business at 419 Wyandotte St. at a little after 1:30 p.m. An employee told that he was holding a pocketknife with the blade open and began smashing and throwing items.

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“You need to get out of this office!” Cruz-Cosme reportedly told the employee. “Tell Pascual I’ll be back and I’ll be looking for him!”

Pascual is Pascual Pena, owner of the brokerage. Pena told Bethlehem police that Cruz-Cosme was upset with him because he had fired his wife on Friday.

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Cruz-Cosme, 26, of 430 W. Union Boulevard, Bethlehem, was later arrested and charged with terroristic threats and criminal mischief. He was arraigned before night duty District Judge Joseph Barner and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.


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