Crime Numbers
Lehigh County recorded 719 violent crimes and 6,957 property crimes in 2017, the most recent year with a complete set of crime statistics provided by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Compared to crime figures for 2013, violent and property crime rates for the county fell by 10.5% and 22.6% respectively. A closer look at the 2017 crime data shows that Lehigh County recorded 20 murders, 81 rapes, 330 robberies, and 288 aggravated assaults. Reported incidences of property crimes include 1,003 burglaries, 5,411 larceny thefts, 520 motor vehicle thefts, and 23 arsons.
The five-year crime trend for Lehigh County shows that murder was the only crime to record a higher number in 2017 compared to 2013. While murder rate grew by 25%, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault rates shrank by 12%, 11.3%, and 11.1% respectively. Burglary rate in Lehigh County dropped by 49.2% in the same period just as larceny theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson rates dipped by 15.2%, 7.1%, and 43.9% respectively.
Criminal Records
Lehigh County residents looking for criminal history reports can order background checks from the Pennsylvania State Police. This law enforcement agency provides statewide background checks and accepts requests online and by mail. Order a criminal history check online via the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) website. If you prefer to submit your request by mail, do so using one of these three forms: Criminal History Request Form (SP4-164), Criminal History Request Form – Volunteer Only (SP4-164A), and Individual Access and Request Form (SP4-170). Use SP4-164 when requesting a background check on a person of interest or a potential employee. SP4-164A is for organizations conducting background checks on their volunteers while SP4-170 is for individuals that want to obtain and review their own criminal background reports.
Send the completed form, along with a money order for service fee, to:
Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository - RCPU
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
Make the money order payable to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The PSP does not charge for background checks for volunteers ordered with Form SP4-164A. The fee for a report obtained with Form SP4-164 is $22 while ordering a background check with Form SP4-170 costs $20.
The duties of the Lehigh County Sheriff’s Office include providing courtroom security, transporting prisoners, apprehending fugitives, issuing permits for concealed weapons, and preserving the peace at riots and civil strikes. The various police departments of the cities, boroughs, and townships of the county are responsible for policing their jurisdictions. To obtain offense and traffic accident reports for these communities, contact their police departments.
To obtain criminal justice records maintained by the Sheriff’s Office, submit a Right To Know (RTK) request by contacting the county’s Open Records Officer at:
Lehigh County Government Center
Open Records Officer
17 S. 7th St.
Allentown, PA 18101
(610) 782-3011
Pennsylvania Megan’s Law empowers the State Police to maintain a central database of all registered offenders living in the counties of the Commonwealth. The PSP also makes the state’s Sex Offender Registry available and searchable on the Pennsylvania Megan’s Law website. To find offenders living in Lehigh County, navigate to the County Search page and select Lehigh from the County drop-down menu or click the county on the state map provided on the page.
The Lehigh County Department of Corrections runs the detention facilities in the county. These are the Lehigh County Jail, the Community Corrections Center, and the Juvenile Detention Center. Below are the addresses and contact information of these correctional facilities:
Lehigh County Jail
38 North Fourth Street
Allentown, PA 18102
General Information: (610) 782-3270
Medical Information: (610) 782-3134
Records Information: (610) 782-3263
Mail Information: (610) 782-3216
Community Corrections Center
1600 Riverside Drive
Bethlehem, PA 18016
Control Booth: (610) 778-5328
Sergeant's Desk: (610) 778-5334
Fax: (610) 882-9861
Juvenile Detention Center
370 South Cedarbrook Road
Allentown, PA 18104
Phone: (610) 871-5960
Fax: (610) 481-9347
To send money to an inmate in Lehigh County Jail, visit Inmate Accounts located in the foyer of the jail. This location opens to the public from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. It accepts cash, money orders, and certified checks. Note that inmates are not allowed to have more than $300 in their accounts.
Court Records
The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas is a general jurisdiction court that handles most of the criminal and civil cases in the county. It has three divisions: Criminal/Juvenile, Civil/Motion/Family Court, and Orphans’ Court. These divisions have the same address:
Lehigh County Courthouse
455 West Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
Listed below are the phone and fax numbers of the three divisions:
Phone: (610) 782-3148 (Civil)
Fax: (610) 871-2895 (Civil)
Phone: (610) 782-3077 (Criminal)
Fax: (610) 871-2896 (Criminal)
Phone: (610) 782-3172 (Orphans' Court)
Fax: (610) 782-3928 (Orphans' Court)
The dockets of the Criminal Division are available on the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania web portal. To request for the records of the Civil and Criminal Divisions, visit the Office of the Clerk of Judicial Records at:
Lehigh County Courthouse
Room 122
455 W. Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
You may also call the Civil and Criminal Divisions using the phone numbers listed above to speak directly to the Deputy Chiefs responsible for both divisions.
Besides the Court of Common Pleas, Lehigh County also 14 Magisterial District Courts serving the various cities, boroughs, and townships of the county. The addresses and contact information of these courts are:
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-01
1201 Sumner Ave,
Allentown, PA 18102
Phone: (610) 432-3080
Fax: (610) 433-0130
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-02
1101 W Hamilton St,
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: (610) 432-8700
Fax: (610) 432-0140
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-03
1428 W Hamilton St,
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: (610) 434-7903
Fax: (610) 434-0213
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-04
1501 Lehigh St, #104,
Allentown, PA 18103
Phone: (610) 797-0906
Fax: (610) 797-3292
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-05
1007 Union Blvd,
Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: (610) 439-0661
Fax: (610) 439-1257
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-06
565 W Lehigh St,
Bethlehem, PA 18018
Phone: (610) 691-3950
Fax: (610) 691-0471
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-07
3678 Crescent Court E,
Whitehall, PA 18052
Phone: (610) 437-6096
Fax: (610) 437-3462
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-1-08
3000 S Pike Ave,
Allentown, PA 18103
Phone: (610) 797-8724
Fax: (610) 791-1401
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-2-01
501 W Hamilton St,
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: (610) 782-3834
Fax: (610) 770-2793
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-2-02
3404 Hamilton Blvd,
Allentown, PA 18103
Phone: (610) 434-2070
Fax: (610) 434-0215
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-2-03
106 Main St,
Emmaus, PA 18049
Phone: (610) 967-2888
Fax: (610) 966-5686
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-3-01
106 S Walnut St,
Slatington, PA 18080
Phone: (610) 767-8641
Fax: (610) 767-0164
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-3-02
Green Hills Commerce Center
5925 Tilghman St,
Suite #500,
Allentown, PA 18104
Phone: (610) 398-1167
Fax: (610) 398-2185
Lehigh County Magisterial District Court 31-3-03
Village Center
21 N Main St,
Coopersburg, PA 18036
Phone: (610) 282-1555
Fax: (610) 282-2642
Contact these courts to enquire about obtaining copies of their records.
Vital Records
The Civil Division of the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas issues and keeps divorce decrees. To obtain copies of your divorce decree, contact the Prothonotary or Deputy Chief in the Office of the Clerk of Judicial Records in charge of the Civil Division. You can call (610) 782-3148 or visit:
Lehigh County Courthouse
455 W. Hamilton Street
Room 122
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
The Clerk of the Orphans’ Court is the official responsible for issuing marriage licenses and providing certified copies of these records in Lehigh County. Requesters can dial (610) 782-3173 to hear a recorded message detailing the steps required to obtain certified copies of marriage licenses.
The procedure required involves submitting a written request containing the approximate date of the marriage and the names of the bride and groom including the bride’s maiden name. Send this, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment, to:
Lehigh County Marriage License Bureau
455 West Hamilton Street
Room 123.5
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
The fee for each certified copy of marriage license is $10. Send this fee as a money order payable to Lehigh County Marriage License Bureau. Walk-in requests are also accepted. Requesters can pay with credit/debit cards when ordering certified marriage licenses in person.
Birth and death certificates for Lehigh County are available from the Vital Records Office of the Pennsylvania Department of Health. You can obtain these vital records in person by visiting the Vital Records office at 101 S. Mercer Street, New Castle, PA. The office also accepts mail requests. Start by downloading and completing an Application for a Birth Certificate (also available in Spanish) or an Application for a Death Certificate (Spanish). Mail the completed form to:
Department of Health
Bureau of Health Statistics & Registries
Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
The fee for each certificate ordered is $20. Include a check or money order for this amount with your mail application. Make the check or money order payable to VITAL RECORDS.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Lehigh County?
Under the Pennsylvania State Right to Know Law, anyone can access Lehigh County property records. People interested in inspecting or obtaining Lehigh property records can contact the Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Lehigh County
Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds division maintains the records of properties in Lehigh County and undertakes the following concerning real estate transactions:
- Certification of documents
- Maintenance of records of Charters of not for profit organizations from 1866 to 1993
- Collection and distribution of Realty Transfer Tax to local municipalities, school districts, and the Department of Revenue
- Provision of public access to recorded documents and indices
It also records and indexes the following land instruments:
- Deeds and other related documents like Easements, Right of Way, Covenant, and Restrictions.
- Mortgages and associated documents including Satisfaction of Mortgage, Release, Assignment, Modification, and Subordination
- Military Discharge Papers
- State Commissions and Bonds for Notary Publics and County Elected Officials
- Subdivision, Highway, Stormwater, Rail, and Condo Maps
- Powers of Attorney
- Secured Transactions and Financing Statements
Anyone can obtain copies of Lehigh County property records in person at:
Lehigh County Courthouse
West Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
How to Look Up Lehigh County Property Records
Through its Office of Assessment, Lehigh County provides a lookup tool that enables requesters to search for Lehigh County property records within the county online. Anyone can search for property records using a Property Index Number (PIN), document identification, or property address. People can also search by using the parcel viewer link. Lehigh County Office of Assessment is located at:
Government Center
South Seventh Street
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: (610) 782-3038
Fax: (610) 871-1442
Location of Lehigh County Township Property Assessors
Government Center
South Seventh Street
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: (610) 782-3038
Fax: (610) 871-1442
