PRESS RELEASE

Beginning 9/16/20,  residents of  Strawberry Village and Pitts Avenue in Pittsville began to experience a string of vehicle break-ins, some of which resulted in the thefts of credit cards, wallets, cash, Computer equipment, and  jewelry valued at $21,000.00.  The resulting investigation conducted by the Pittsville Police Department yielded images captured by surveillance cameras at retail establishments in and around the Berlin/West Ocean City area showing what appeared to be an Hispanic male wearing a green bandana as a face mask using a credit card stolen from one of the vehicles that had been broken into..

On 9/19/20, just after 4:00 p.m., Pittsville police located a male subject who strongly resembled the male subject captured in the surveillance footage walking east on Old Ocean City Rd. in the area of Strawberry Village. While the male subject, identified as Steven Arechiga, was being questioned, he stated that he had just moved to the area two weeks prior from New Mexico where he is a member of Las Cruces street gang and had recently relapsed into his addiction to heroin.  Arechiga then admitted to breaking into vehicles and removing items matching the description given above. The investigation subsequently led to a residence on Diva Ct. in the Strawberry Village Community where items stolen during the vehicle burglaries were located. Pittsville Police also recovered  methamphetamines, heroin, and other items Arechiga stated he had purchased using the cash and cards he had stolen from the vehicles.

Arechiga was arrested and charged with 21 counts ranging from Burglary – Rogue and Vagabond, Credit Card Offenses, and a variety of Theft charges and is being held at the Wicomico County Detention Center on $15,000 bond.  Charges for Controlled Dangerous Substance violations are pending.

Additional items  located during this investigation also led to charges pending in Worcester County and Delmar, De.

    The Pittsville Police Department learned that during the late evening or early morning hours of 9/15-9/16 several vehicles were broken into as they were parked in driveways in the Strawberry Village community. The victims noticed that the contents of the vehicles center consoles and glove compartments were emptied but no one reported anything missing from the vehicles.

    On 9/17, several residents on Pitts Ave. reported that during the late evening or early morning hours of 9/16-9/17 someone had broken into vehicles at that location. This time, however, one of the victims reported the theft of a wallet from their vehicle.

    We are asking that Pittsville residents take steps to protect their property. Lock your vehicles and don’t leave anything of value in plain view when possible. Please be certain to lock the doors of your residence.

    State, County, and Local Law Enforcement agencies are working together to increase patrol in PIttsville and to locate those responsible. We are asking anyone with information relating to these incidents to call any of the above law enforcement agencies as soon as possible. As always, please report any suspicious activity so that law enforcement can address issues before they become problems.

NOTICE

TOWN RESIDENTS

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN!!!

BULK PICK UP DAY

Thursday, November 19, 2020.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR TRASH CURBSIDE

BY 6:00 A.M.

 BULK ITEMS: CURBSIDE

• Cardboard boxes.

• Furniture and appliances, picnic table, chairs and benches are considered to be furniture, mattresses, box springs, all can be set out and we will take either curbside.

• Leaves, placed in bags

• Any household items, clothing, books, toys, need to be bagged, but under 50 pounds so our guys can lift them.

• Bikes, trikes

WILL NOT TAKE:

• No construction debris, cinders block, bricks

• Boats

• Computers, tires, paint, chemicals, liquids, waste or other hazardous materials, we cannot take them.

• No animal waste

• No tires, oil, paint

• Tear down fencing around yard

• Tear down of sheds.

• Automobiles, parts, trans and engines

• No motorcycles

• Boats

• We do not take whole trees cut down, stumps

 

 

Voting locations for Wicomico County:

Mardela Middle/High School

24940 Delmar Road, Mardela Springs

Salisbury Middle School

607 Morris St., Salisbury

Pemberton Elementary School

1300 Pemberton Drive, Salisbury

Bennett Middle School

532 S. Division St., Fruitland

James M. Bennett High School

300 E. College Ave., Salisbury

Wicomico Youth & Civic Center

500 Glen Ave., Salisbury

This location will also be the county’s single early voting center, Oct. 26 through Nov. 2.

Beaver Run Elementary School

31481 Old Ocean City Road, Salisbury

GEORGE WHITED, Jr

President, Town Commissioners

1945-2020

It is with heartfelt sorrow that the Town Commissioners of Pittsville announce the passing of GEORGE WHITED, Jr, our President of the Town Commissioners.  President Whited was an integral and energetic leader who served the Town and his beloved Pittsville Fire Department /EMS for so many, many years.  Once further information is available we will so notify. We ask that all Pittsville citizens/residents and everyone who knew George keep him and the Whited family in your prayers.

George, you will be so deeply missed!

GOOD NEWS, GREAT NEWS!!!

Solar Panels Approved

 On 23 Jul 20, the Town of PITTSVILLE, received very good news (finally) that the “SOLAR PANELS PROJECT” for the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) was approved by the State of Maryland’s Department of the Environment (MDE) after nearly 2 years since the grant was awarded. The grant amount is $528,000 to install solar panels that will reduce if not completely eliminate the town’s need for outside electricity to operate the WTP.

The Town still needs to advertise for bids, award a contract, begin construction and have Delmarva Power complete their task and (hopefully) by spring 2021, we could be up and running.  This has been a very long sometimes agonizing journey, but “light at the end of the tunnel”.

We will keep you all posted as we continue to work on this project. Thanks to all, especially, Rob Duma (town engineer) and his staff at Davis, Bowen, & Friedel.

TOWN OF PITTSVILLE

“Public Notice”

Adoption of FY 21 Budget & Fee Schedule

The Commissioners of the Town of Pittsville adopted Ordinance # 2020-1, establishing the FY 21 Municipal Operating Budget and also Resolution # 2020–02 approving the FY21 Fee Schedule at the special meeting held on 29 Jun 20 effective 1 Jul 20.  Ordinance #2020-1 was further amended at the regular meeting held on 20 Jul 20.

Copies of both are available for public review at the Town Hall during normal business hours.

JOSEPH A MANGINI, Jr.

Town Manager

The Commissioners of the Town of Pittsville and the Pittsville Police Department would like to take the opportunity to publicly thank Holly Kia of Selbyville for their support and assistance.

When Tim Fowler, Service Manager for Selbyville Holly Kia (and Pittsville resident), learned that the Town of Pittsville had created a Municipal Police Department, he immediately contacted us and extended a most generous offer. He advised us that Selbyville Holly Kia would like to show their support for law enforcement by offering us complimentary oil changes and other routine services.

We were humbled by this most generous show of support. Since then we have been taking two vehicles to Selbyville Holly Kia  at 5000 mile intervals and with their assistance we will surely get the most use out of our patrol units.

To Tim Fowler and everyone at Selbyville Holly Kia – thank you so much for you support during these trying times!