Crime & Safety

Best of Criminal Minds 2011

A look back at some of the the most confounding and oddest items on the police beat in 2011.

Altoids Are Probably a Better Idea

A woman was arrested Sept. 1 for stealing under $500 at the store in the first block of Gravois Bluffs Plaza, Fenton. Police said the suspect hid two bottles of vanilla extract in her purse and paid for the rest of her groceries, but failed to pay for the vanilla. Police said that when the woman was asked why she stole the vanilla she responded "I’m an alcoholic and drink the vanilla extract so my husband won’t find out I’m drinking again."

Priorities

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A man was issued a summons Sept. 16 for urinating in the parking lot of the in the 600 block of Gravois Bluffs Boulevard in Fenton. Police said the intoxicated man was asked why he was doing so and responded “My friends are still eating inside, I wanted to piss and then take a nap.”

Three Things You Don't Want to Do when Stopped By Police

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A wayward driver from Imperial was stopped by Arnold police June 22 and given several tickets. After the traffic stop, the 30-year-old driver threw the tickets out of the car window as he drove off. Police stopped him again and wrote a new ticket, this one for littering the roadway.

A 23-year-old intoxicated woman in Chesterfield who exposed herself May 8 slapped the officer who was interviewing her about the incident.

If you are handcuffed and detained in a sheriff’s deputy cruiser, it’s probably not the best idea to steal the deputy’s wallet. But one man did that on Jan. 17 after the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department arrested him for a series of electronics and stereo equipment thefts from vehicles on Stillbrook Estates Drive in Fenton. The man concealed the wallet in his groin, which was discovered at booking.

Unwelcome Overnight Guest

A mother living on Lake Drive in Arnold called police on June 23 to report a 36-year-old woman sleeping in her son’s bed. The mother had told the woman in the past that she was not welcome in the home. Police arrested the sleepy suspect.

Unwelcome Drop-In Guest

In Chesterfield, a 44-year-old woman was intoxicated when she parked her car on her neighbor's lawn on Greenberry Hill Lane on June 5. She then entered the wrong house, claiming it was hers.

Tales From the Maternity Department at Victoria's Secret

At the Saint Louis Galleria in Richmond Heights, a pregnant woman assaulted a Victoria's Secret store clerk April 26 after the clerk refused to let her return an item. As she was being arrested, her water broke and she was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Late Night Munchies Included Tacos and Waffles

Taco Bell employees in Arnold reported April 22 that a man wearing a SpongeBob hat stole a donation jar holding less than $10. Police found the suspect at a nearby Waffle House.

The Burrito As a Weapon

There was a July 8 road rage incident near Highway 30 and Gravois Bluffs Boulevard, in Fenton. Police said a motorist accidentally cut off another vehicle and in retaliation, then was struck with a burrito thrown by the driver he cut off.

Thief Caught with Drugs, Lingerie

Two people were arrested on stealing and drug charges March 2 at a department store at Gravois Bluffs, in Fenton, when they left without paying for $563 worth of miscellaneous items. One of the suspects was caught on the parking lot. A search uncovered marijuana, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, a homemade bomb — and $175 worth of stolen lingerie.

Asking For Trouble

A man was arrested Feb. 9 for trespassing on Woodridge Trails Court, in Fenton, after police found him roaming around residential backyards looking for a place to sleep. When officers arrived, the man became verbally combative and requested to be arrested. He was.

As Disguises Go, This One Stands Out

Police are searching for a man who was wearing black shoe polish on his face and pink swim goggles while he robbed a Moto Mart in St. Charles on Feb. 21. The man was also wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt. He took money at  knife-point and put it into a black purse before leaving.

Petty Theft

A woman in Manchester reported Jan. 7 that someone broke the tail light of her car on Hanna Road and stole the bulb.

For questions about this report, contact Dan Barger at Dan.Barger@patch.com.


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