By Tim Clifford

Box cutter thief
Police are currently searching for a box-knife wielding shoplifter after he attempted to cut a loss prevention officer at a store on the 2800 block of S.W. Barton St. on Oct. 26. Police were dispatched to the scene at about 6:21 p.m. and arrived six minutes later to find the suspect had already fled.

According to a loss prevention officer and his supervisor (both 23-years-old) the suspect was spotted on the store surveillance system stuffing electronics into his jacket. Both men approached the suspect as he was about to exit the store. As the suspect attempted to shoot past them one of the men grabbed him and a struggle ensued between the three of them. The suspect began repeating over and over “I don’t want to go to jail” as he pushed and fought with the two employees.

Eventually the suspect began to relax and calm down at which point the employees loosened their grip on him. As soon as they did so the suspect reached into his pocket and brought out a wood handled box-knife which he then slashed at the face of one employee. Both employees moved away from the suspect and he took off running.

The suspect is described as a white male in either his late teens or early 20s, weighing approximately 130 pounds and wearing a red and white plaid shirt with a black baseball cap. At the scene the suspect left an umbrella, his shoes, the box-knife and his hat. A copy of the surveillance footage was given to the officers. The suspect remains at large.

Burglary investigation agitates victim
On Oct. 22 police were called to an apartment building on the 9200 block of 2 Ave. S.W. regarding a break-in and burglary. While investigating this burglary the responding officer found that his efforts were no longer appreciated by the victim when his inquiries lead him to questioning her caretaker and the caretaker’s boyfriend.

The incident began around 1:35 p.m. that day when the victim, an elderly woman, and her young caretaker and the caretaker’s boyfriend went to the grocery store. When they returned they found the victim’s apartment ransacked and numerous pill bottles missing. The investigating officer was dispatched to the scene around 4:13 p.m.

While looking over the apartment he first noticed that the front door was intact and that there were no signs of a forced entry. Next, while looking through the bedroom for the caregiver the officer noticed that her room was untouched and that there were two cell phones sitting on a dresser. The officer pulled the caregiver aside and learned that she had only begun working approximately two weeks ago and currently has paperwork being filed to become a state registered care provider.

The officer began asking the caregiver if she has a copy of the keys to the apartment. When she answered that she did not the officer asked if her boyfriend may have a copy. At that point the caregiver became upset and even began crying as the officer persisted with questions regarding her boyfriend. The caregiver began telling the officer that she did not know how to spell her boyfriend’s name or what year he was born. The officer told the caregiver to wait with the victim while he went to speak with her boyfriend.

The officer went to his car and noticed the boyfriend standing near the outside smoking area. As he was walking over to speak with him the victim and her caregiver came out of the building and intercepted him. The victim was angry that the officer had upset her caregiver and told him that she no longer wanted his assistance. The officer left his card with the victim and a case number should she change her mind and left.

Crimes reported between Oct. 23 and Oct. 30

Burglaries by block: 1900 block of 44 Ave. S.W., 3400 block of 39 Ave. S.W., 4500 block of 42 Ave. S.W., 4800 block of Fauntleroy WY S.W., 5600 block of California Ave. S.W., 6700 block of 38 Ave. S.W., 2100 block of S.W. Holden St., 8400 block of Delridge WY S.W., 2100 block of S.W. Henderson St., 9400 block of 7 Ave. S.W.

Car prowls by block: 1300 block of Sunset Ave. S.W., 4400 block of S.W. Atlantic St., 1700 block of 46 Ave. S.W., 5600 block of S.W. Lander St., 3200 block of 47 Ave. S.W., 3700 block of 36 Ave. S.W., 4100 block of 38 Ave. S.W., 44 Ave. S.W./ S.W. Edmunds St., 5000 block of California Ave. S.W., 5000 block of 50 Ave. S.W., 5000 block of Beach Dr. S.W., 5400 block of 41 Ave. S.W., 6000 block of 16 Ave. S.W., 7500 block of 24 Ave. S.W. (two reported), 3000 block of S.W. Trenton St., 8800 block of 37 Ave. S.W., 9200 block of 35 Ave. S.W.

Car thefts by block: 4000 block of 46 Ave. S.W., 4100 block of Fauntleroy WY S.W., 4500 block of 42 Ave. S.W., 6000 block of 45 Ave. S.W. (two reported), 6900 block of Fauntleroy WY S.W., 6500 block of 36 Ave. S.W., 6300 block of 18 Ave. S.W., 6500 block of 16 Ave. S.W., 600 block of S.W. Kenyon St., 8300 block of 10 Ave. S., 2600 block of S.W. Barton St., 9400 block of 6 Ave. S.,