Crime & Safety

Bixler's Robbery Get-a-Way Car Dumped in Salisbury

South Whitehall Police report the FBI is now assisting their investigation of the Dec. 28 armed robbery.


The car driven by three armed robbers leaving Bixler's Jewelers Friday, Dec. 28, was found Sunday in a residential Salisbury Township neighborhood, according to South Whitehall Police Investigator Jerome Cramer.

It is the only new information Cramer had to report about a "sophisticated" crime unlike any he's ever investigated.

The jewelry store robbery was actually the second stage of a crime that started at the Bethlehem home of a longtime Bixler's employee.

Find out what's happening in South Whitehallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In its weekend crime summary, Bethlehem Police said a man and woman were robbed by armed gunmen at 1946 Kenny Drive and that the incident was being investigated jointly by Bethlehem and South Whitehall Township detectives. 

The masked suspects broke through a back door, held a gun to a man's head and tied him up with duct tape. The victim, a Bixler's employee, said they waited until his wife got home and did the same to her, according to a WFMZ report.

Find out what's happening in South Whitehallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Two of the suspects then stole the woman's car and drove the Bixler's employee to the store. Cramer said the man was blindfolded and put in the back seat of the car. The third suspect, who is reported to have had a police scanner, stayed at the Bethlehem home with the woman. The husband and wife were both physically unharmed.

The store was closed when the suspects and the employee arrived but the employee was forced to use his keys to open the doors and then the safe. Police report the value of what was stolen is still being determined but did specify that several Rolex watches and other jewelry were gone.

South Whitehall Police have issued the following descriptions of the three men:

  • Man #1: About 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing about 200 lbs. wearing glasses, dark clothing, light colored face covering and a knit cap with a stripe.
  • Man #2: Wore dark colored jacket with hood, dark clothing and light colored face covering.
  • Man #3: Wore gray hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call 610-398-0337. 

On Oct. 31, 2011 Bixlers Jewelers was robbed by two men wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts. They smashed several display cases and grabbed several pieces of jewelry, then fled in a tan-colored SUV, possibly a Chevrolet Tahoe. One of the men displayed a handgun as the SUV left the parking lot, police said.

Bixler's moved to the Shops at 3900 on Aug. 25, 2011, five days after the store closed its location on MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township and nearly five years after closing a location at the Village West Shopping Center in South Whitehall.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from South Whitehall