Bellevue Police investigated the burglary of a Madison Avenue building on Jan. 26. They also assisted Ross Township Police the same day with a reported burglary in progress at an East Orchard Avenue home.

unidentified male was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit on Jan. 28. Police say they observed the man assaulting a female on Sumner Avenue.

Police suspect a pick pocket of stealing from a 71-year-old woman in a business in the 400 block of Lincoln Avenue on Jan. 28.

An Avalon police officer escaped without injury, although he was dragged some 20 feet by a vehicle he was attempting to stop last Saturday night.

The man behind the wheel of that car led officers from multiple jurisdictions on a chase through the City of Pittsburgh and North Hills before being stopped and taken into custody.

The incident began just before 1 a.m. when Avalon officers were dispatched to Center Avenue for a reported burglary in progress. Police say they were told that a man had entered the residence and begun moving items outside.

Best-selling author John Irving once observed, "A writer uses what experience he or she has…"

Dennis Marsili, speaking last week at Bayne Library where he promoted "Excessive Forces, A Pittsburgh Police Thriller," the first novel of what he hopes will be a prolific second career, has followed Irving's advice.

Writing his novel in spare time over the past four years, he has drawn upon nearly 30 years of police work that included 11 years as a detective sergeant to pen his police thriller set in the fictional Pittsburgh Metropolitan Police Department.

William Kisling Sr. William R. Kisling Sr., 78, of Bellevue, died Wednesday, June 29 2011. Mr. Kisling was a longtime member of Northgate Church. He was an avid sportsman and outsdoorsman. He is survived by his wife, Nancy M. Kisling; four sons, John R. Kisling and his wife Jean, Thomas W. Kisling and his wife Toni, William R. Kisling Jr. and Ty Kisling; two sisters, Irene Roof and her husband Jack and Virginia Klimko and her husband Edward; and five grandchildren, Kelly, Brian, Zachary, Justin and Tyler Kisling.

Five illegal immigrants believed to be from the Honduras were taken into custody by Avalon Police after a traffic stop on Ohio River Boulevard on May 23.

The men. some of whom did not speak English, either had no identification or possessed fake permanent resident cards. Police were told that they were illegally working on Stanwix Street in downtown Pittsburgh.

Taken into custody and turned over to Immigration and Cus-toms Enforcement officers were Marcos Car-dona, 21; Jorge Moreno, 18; Denis Chinchilla, 20; Denis Tabora, 19; and Wilson Henriquez, 19.

One of two new Bellevue Police officers was sworn in Tuesday evening, while a current officer was officially promoted to the position of sergeant.

Nicholas McGaughey was the only new officer sworn in. According to Chief Matt Sentner, the other applicant offered a job with the borough is considering another position. He expects to bring another candidate to council in the coming weeks.

As a proposed ordinance that will mandate the inspection of rental properties continues to make its way through the adoption process, Bellevue Council members have agreed to some changes in the terms that could make the measure more affordable for landlords.

A $40 per unit fee originally proposed in the ordinance is now set at $35 for the first two rental units in a building, with a $25 fee for each subsequent unit inspected.

The owner of a Bellevue business was killed early Monday morning when he wrecked his car in Franklin Park while attempting to flee from police.

Police said that Bryan Viviani -- owner of Viviani Motor Sports on Route 65 in Bellevue -- sped away when an officer tried to stop his vehicle for speeding on Route 910. The car was found overturned in a creek, and the female passenger was badly injured.

Viviani was about to stand trial on state charges of vehicle sales fraud.

Avalon Police are continuing to investigate a pursuit Tuesday night that ended when a vehicle crashed into a pole in Ben Avon.

Police say that an officer attempted to pull over a speeding vehicle on Route 65 in Avalon, near the Ben Avon border. The driver refused to stop until his vehicle hit a utility pole a couple blocks later. Police say the driver had a DUI-related suspended license and is suspected of being intoxicated. He refused a blood test after he was taken to the hospital, police say.

Avalon businesses that need to obtain or renew game device licenses can download forms from the borough's Web site.

The forms can be found on the police department page at www.boroughofavalon.org, Anyone with questions should call or e-mail Officer Craig Cannella, whose contact information is listed on the site.

Bellevue will officially have a new code enforcement officer next week, although there won’t be any new faces in the borough building.

Assistant CEO Jim Delcroix, who has been the acting CEO since the retirement of Mike Lutz in March, has been hired for that position effective Nov. 1.

Delcroix was the only applicant for the job, officials reported.

A rundown property. Absentee owner. Code violations on top of code violations. Months in the court system. Fines levied that are never collected. Liens filed against the property to the point that they exceed the value of the property itself.

This is a far too common scenario in municipalities across the state, as officials struggle to eliminate blight that experts say will spread like the flu if left unchecked, taking down property values in the entire community.