Clayton Weekly Police Incident Report: June 7-13

From the City of Clayton:

June 14, 2021

For the reporting period of Monday, June 7th - Sunday, June 13th, CPD officers responded to 486 calls for service, including 15 automobile accidents & 34 calls to assist the CFD. Among those calls were the following incidents:

On behalf of her client, an attorney contacted the CPD Monday night to report the fraudulent use of a debit card. Her client, the victim, discovered a debit card connected to his business checking account was used to make numerous unauthorized purchases from Poshmark on Thursday, June 3rd. A review of his bank statement showed 17 unauthorized transactions for nearly $4,500. He suspects his estranged wife is responsible.

A traffic stop in the 900 block of S. Hanley Rd. Monday night resulted in the arrest of the driver for possession of marijuana & drug paraphernalia as well as multiple traffic violations, including failure to secure a child in a proper child seat. She has an upcoming court date through the Clayton municipal court.

A resident of the 6300 block of Southwood awoke Tuesday morning to discover the license plate tabs had been stolen from his vehicle. He last recalled seeing the tabs Monday evening.

Later Tuesday, a resident in the 6400 block of San Bonita reported his vehicle had been stolen. The SUV was parked on the street in front of his home just after noon. He believes the keys may have been inadvertently left inside the vehicle. An investigation is ongoing.

Officers responded to Qdoba Thursday night after employees reported a man stole money from their tip jar. The tip money was recovered & returned to the restaurant. While investigating the theft, officers discovered the man was in possession of 3 unmarked pill bottles containing a variety of pills & an unidentified white powder. The containers & their contents were seized for testing & the man was released pending results from the crime lab.

Concordia Seminary contacted the CPD Wednesday morning to report a catalytic converter had been stolen from a seminary-owned vehicle. The vehicle was last driven on June 2nd & no suspicious activity was reported. Campus security is reviewing surveillance footage for anything of evidentiary value.

Tuesday morning, the head of maintenance for the Clayton Plaza Hotel found an industrial coffee grinder sitting on the ground in the employee parking garage. After consulting with the banquet manager, he returned the machine to the hotel's coffee storage area. When he arrived at work Wednesday morning, he observed coffee beans spilled all over the stairs in the employee parking garage. When he checked the coffee storage area, he discovered the coffee grinder was missing. Although he could not provide any suspect information, he advised the hotel has hired several new employees recently. Since then, staff has noticed an increase in tools & items being misplaced or missing.

Officers responded to IHOP Wednesday afternoon after a man refused to pay for his meal, valued at over $40. Investigation revealed the man had no means of purchasing the meal & never intended to pay for it. He was arrested for shoplifting & was released with a court date through the Clayton municipal court. Restaurant employees informed the man he was no longer welcome at the store. He stated he understood the trespass warning & knows he will be arrested if he returns. A few hours later, the same man flagged down officers to complain of a medical ailment. However, following assessment by EMS personnel, he refused additional medical treatment & left the area on foot.

Early Thursday morning, he entered an apartment building in the central business district & requested assistance in finding a place to stay for the night. Officers worked with the emergency shelter hotline to secure temporary housing.

The St. Louis County Department of Human Services provides programs & resources to assist with everything from a housing crisis to programs for youths or older residents (https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-departments/human-services/). For more information on assistance with emergency shelter, rent, mortgage, or utilities, call (314)802-5444 or visit https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-departments/human-services/county-homeless-programs/.

Last week we told you about a man who went on a 2-day crime spree. When officers arrested him Sunday night, he was driving a stolen golf cart loaded down with, among other things, a bicycle & tools. Wednesday, a resident returned from an out-of-town trip & discovered his daughter's bicycle was missing. Officers confirmed the bike was the same one found with the golf cart & the bike was returned to the resident Thursday. This case is currently under advisement with the St. Louis County Prosecutor's office.

While patrolling in the 7500 block of Wydown Blvd. Thursday morning, a CPD Officer found a cordless wet/dry vacuum abandoned at the curb. The vacuum has been placed into evidence for safekeeping. If you believe it is yours or you have information related to the owner, please contact the CPD at (314)645-3000.

A resident of the 6400 block of Clayton Rd. contacted the CPD Thursday afternoon to report her motorcycle was stolen from her shared carport. She returned home to discover the chain she used to secure the bike was cut & the motorcycle was missing. As of this time, no witnesses or suspects have been identified.

An attorney contacted the CPD Friday evening after discovering his law firm had been used in an elaborate wire fraud. In late April, the attorney was contacted via email by a man requesting assistance in recovering funds from a medical supply company. The client reportedly purchased $198,000 worth of equipment from the company but never received the merchandise. After weeks of phone calls & emails, the firm received a cashier's check from the medical equipment company. The check was deposited into the firm's bank account & the funds, minus the firm's service fee were sent to the client via wire transfer. Friday morning, the firm was contacted by a bank representative who notified them the cashier's check was fraudulent. The investigation is ongoing.

A woman was accompanying her friend to a custody exchange Saturday morning when she & the child's father engaged in a verbal argument. The altercation turned physical when the woman began recording the man on her cellphone. The man reportedly pushed the woman & grabbed her phone before throwing it to the ground. The phone was shattered & unusable. Officers arrested the man for assault 4th degree & property damage. He has a pending court date through the Clayton municipal court.

An early morning traffic stop in the area of S. Hanley Rd. & Clayton Rd. Sunday resulted in the driver's arrest for DWI. This was the man's 1st alcohol-related driving offense.

Finally, a security employee parked his personal vehicle in the parking garage in the 600 block of Corporate Park Sunday morning. When he returned Sunday afternoon, he discovered the SUV's catalytic converter had been stolen. A review of surveillance footage showed a man driving an older model Nissan passenger vehicle through the garage & parking lot between 11:30 & noon. While checking the area, officers discovered the catalytic converter was also missing from a van owned by Barnes Jewish Extended Care. The investigation is ongoing.

Please contact the CPD in person or by phone at (314)645-3000 with information related to these or other investigations. Until next week, stay safe!

This press release was produced by the City of Clayton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.