Who's Minding the Store in Nazareth?

On July 12, Nazareth Police Officer Fred Lahovski arrested Richard C Klingle and charged him with a litany of offenses related to the choking and repeated rape of a Nazareth woman. Klingle's preliminary hearing, originally scheduled for July 24, has been postponed until September 21.His bail, which was originally set at $25,000, was reduced to 10% and posted by his mother on August 7. Since then, Klingle has been out. Now he's been accused of kidnapping this woman from her Nazareth residence and raping her again, near Lake Minsi. Before releasing his victim, he swallowed up to 70 pills because he wanted to die. But police have been unable to locate him at this time.

Some of you may have questions about the bail being reduced, and will blame the judge. That would be a mistake. Judges rely heavily on the recommendations made by Pretrial Services. Unless one side or the other disagrees, those recommendations are usually adopted.

My concern is a bit more local. This offense occurred in Nazareth, and at a time when at most, only one officer was on duty. According to what Chief Thomas Trachta told WFMZ-TV69, the victim's mother could hear the struggle and immediately noticed her daughter was missing. But with only one officer on duty, it was easy for this rapist to kidnap someone and just take off.

The one officer with the most knowledge of Klingle, and who talked him into surrendering himself the first time, was apparently never even called.

I would think that when someone is abducted and raped, an "All Hands on Deck" is in order.

Klingle was picked up late Monday night.