Weekly Clayton Police Incident Report: Jan. 18-24

From the City of Clayton:

January 25, 2021

For the reporting period of Monday, January 18th – Sunday, January 24th, CPD officers responded to 356 calls for service, including 9 automobile accidents & 21 calls to assist the CFD. Among those calls were the following incidents:

A traffic stop in the area of N. Hanley & Maryland Monday night resulted in the driver's arrest for DWI.

A resident discovered her vehicle was damaged by a key or other sharp object while parked in the secured garage at her apartment complex Tuesday afternoon. She believes the damage was caused by a neighbor in retaliation for an ongoing dispute over noise complaints. An investigation is ongoing.

Officers responded to westbound Forest Park Parkway Tuesday evening for a report of a crash involving 4 vehicles. When officers arrived, they learned one of the vehicles, a red BMW, was no longer on scene & the driver had not exchanged contact information with the remaining parties.

Early Thursday morning, two men entered CVS & asked if the store was open. They proceeded directly to the front registers, where they stole a cash drawer. They were last seen leaving the area in a black Chrysler minivan with an expired Missouri temporary tag. While canvassing the area, officers discovered the empty cash drawer discarded on I-170. The same subjects are believed to be responsible for similar thefts in our region.

While investigating a vehicle accident in the 8000 block of Maryland Ave. Thursday evening, officers discovered the driver was under the influence of a controlled substance. She was subsequently arrested for DWI & transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Early Friday morning, officers contacted a known homeless man as he exited Walgreens. While speaking with him, they learned he was in possession of, among other things, a Jeep vehicle key, a prybar & an airsoft pistol. The pistol's orange plastic cap had been removed & the man was carrying the airsoft gun in his waistband. When asked about the airsoft gun, he gave conflicting statements regarding where he obtained it & why he was carrying it. As a precaution, officers seized the airsoft gun for safekeeping pending proof of ownership. After determining there was no evidence the man was involved in any criminal activity, he was sent on his way.

A resident in the 7400 block of York awoke Friday morning to discover the catalytic converter was stolen from his vehicle. The resident reported the vehicle had not been moved in weeks & was unsure when the theft occurred.

Later Friday, employees at Avis/Budget rental contacted the CPD to request assistance in recovering a leased vehicle. According to employees, the vehicle had not been returned following a one-day rental in mid-October & all attempts to recover the vehicle were unsuccessful. Approximately 30 minutes after initiating the report, a towing company reported the vehicle had been found abandoned in St. Louis County & was towed at the request of St. Louis County PD.

Early Friday evening, a pedestrian was crossing Clayton Rd. within the crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle turning onto Clayton Rd. The woman was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Before dining at a local restaurant Friday night, a man concealed his loaded handgun within the backseat of his vehicle. He contacted the valet & arranged to have his vehicle remain in the valet zone in front of the restaurant. When he returned from his meal, he noted his vehicle had been moved from its original space. Upon further inspection of his vehicle, he discovered the handgun was missing. Valet employees reported they faced an influx of vehicles & temporarily relocated the vehicle to a valet space within a nearby garage. However, they denied any knowledge of the handgun or its whereabouts. An investigation is ongoing.

Finally, a man reported he was driving westbound on Clayton Rd. Saturday afternoon, when his vehicle was struck & damaged by a vehicle in the driving lane to his right. The driver of the striking vehicle, a gray Honda, continued to travel westbound without any attempt to exchange contact information.

Until next week, stay safe!

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