* An elderly woman’s car was broken into while it was left unlocked and parked in front of a construction site. The suspects entered the vehicle and took several items out of the woman’s purse, which was on the back seat. Missing were $21 in cash, the woman’s car keys, and the batteries to her hearing aid.
* After seeing what she thought to be a door-to-door solicitor, a woman refused to answer the door when the “solicitor” knocked. When no one answered, the “solicitor” decided he would help himself to a bicycle parked in the woman’s carport. When the woman saw the man walking away with her bike, she ran out the door and gave chase. Once she caught up with the man, the woman demanded he return her bike. Perhaps impressed with the woman’s perseverance, the man complied and gave back the bike.
* Last week a disgruntled woman reported to police that someone had damaged and vandalized her property. A Scottie dog lawn ornament bore the brunt of the vandals’ destructive inclinations. After removing little Scottie from his yard, they threw him into the street. The vandals then used a black marker to write all over the defenseless plastic dog before finally taking off.
* It seems that even thieves are feeling a little more patriotic nowadays as a local business can certainly attest to. Over the weekend, a couple of thieves took down and made off with the 6×10-foot, $150 American Flag that was flying high on the flagpole outside of the business.
* Last week some unknown person(s) opened a sewer line located in a wooded area behind a local business. Once the little stinkers got the sewer line open, they had the bright idea to throw several large boulders into the line. The wedged boulders caused a problem similar to that of a hairball stuck in a drain: one major clog. The damage estimate mounted to over $3000 and required one heck of a plunger.
* A new construction site was left with no ground to stand on when $750 worth of sod was stolen last week. The sod had been placed in the front and on the side of the site when it was uprooted and carted off. Nothing else was reported missing.
* A Charlotte convenience store was robbed when two suspects entered the business and demanded that the clerk open the safe behind the counter. After shoving the clerk around a bit, the suspects realized that the clerk was unable to open the safe. To compensate, the men opted to settle for $20 in cash and $200 worth of cigars instead.
n Take It Like A Man: A lover’s quarrel got out of control when the victim’s girlfriend suddenly became enraged and turned violent. She began beating her boyfriend in the face with a telephone and then she started biting his hand and fingers. Unable to take the abuse, the boyfriend called the police who eventually separated the two.
n A local apartment came under attack when a visitor lost control. After entering the residence, something set the visitor off and he became irate. He then attacked a screen door and clawed at it with his hand. Finally, the man took off, leaving the screen door in shreds. n
Police Blotter items are chosen from the files of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
This article appears in Mar 6-12, 2002.
