City Of Clayton: Weekly Police Incident Report: January 3rd - 9th

Press release from the City of Clayton:

01/10/2022 11:35 AM

For the reporting period of Monday, January 3rd - Sunday, January 9th, CPD officers responded to 389 calls for service, including 9 automobile accidents & 29 calls to assist the CFD. Among those calls were the following incidents:

Witnesses reported a small, red Honda hatchback or SUV left the scene of an accident Wednesday morning. The vehicle struck a city-owned pickup while it was parked beside Chapman Plaza. The truck's LED warning lights were activated & traffic cones were placed behind the truck to warn oncoming traffic the vehicle was stopped. The Honda struck the driver's side of the pickup before heading southbound on S. Brentwood Blvd.

Officers conducted a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon & learned the driver had a suspended driver's license. As they investigated further, they discovered he was wanted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for Domestic Assault 2nd Degree & Property Damage 2nd Degree. The man was arrested & later released to the St. Louis County Justice Center to await further action from SLMPD officers. He has an upcoming court date regarding his suspended license through the Clayton Municipal court.

A traffic stop later Wednesday afternoon resulted in the recovery of two stolen license plates. The plates were seized as evidence & the driver's information was shared with St. Louis County PD for additional investigation.

A CPD officer noticed a man walking in the middle of the roadway in a residential area early Thursday morning. She stopped to check on him & learned he was attempting to reach the St. Louis County Justice Center to turn himself in. A records check revealed a warrant for his arrest through the St. Louis County PD for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The warrant was confirmed as active & she arrested the man & transported him to jail.

In October, we reported a vehicle was stolen from the Hillcrest neighborhood. Early Friday morning, we were contacted by the North County Police Cooperative, who advised they had recovered the car in their venue. The theft investigation is ongoing.

Later Friday morning, officers were contacted after a woman discovered her mother had fallen victim to a scam. The deception began Monday when her mother received a phone call from an individual who represented themselves as an employee of a well-known sweepstakes. The imposter convinced her to complete multiple funds transfers before her daughter discovered the fraud. An investigation continues.

We should always be wary of calls or emails from unsolicited sweepstakes, lotteries, raffles, etc. The Federal Trade Commission reminds consumers prize scams can be quickly identified by a few common signs. First, real prizes should be FREE! If someone says you've won something but must pay taxes or handling charges, it's suspicious. Never believe someone when they insist your chances of winning will increase if you pay them a set amount. Finally, real sweepstakes will never need or ask for information about your financial accounts. If someone is asking for this info, it's a scam! Think you've been scammed? The FTC has some helpful info here: What To Do if You Were Scammed | FTC Consumer Information

While patrolling the central business district Friday night, an officer observed a driver commit multiple traffic violations. He initiated a traffic stop & contacted the driver, who was later determined to be operating his vehicle while intoxicated. He was arrested for DWI & has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal court.

A woman reported she was the victim of a hit & run Saturday afternoon. She claimed she was driving northbound on I-170 near Forest Park Parkway when a gray, newer model 4-door sedan struck her car. The other driver made no attempt to stop or contact her following the collision. No independent witnesses have been identified.

The manager of a car rental company contacted the CPD Sunday morning after discovering an SUV was missing from their inventory. Surveillance footage showed the vehicle left the lot just after 2am. At the time, it was occupied by two unknown individuals. The rental company attempted to track the car & believes it was last seen in Jennings. An investigation continues.

Finally, a resident contacted the PD Sunday afternoon when he discovered his vehicle was stolen from the front of his home in the early morning hours. Through an extensive investigation, officers were able to track down the SUV. Officers discovered the thief made multiple stops throughout the day & was even kind enough to stop & gas up the car for our victim. With the assistance of the SLMPD, the SUV was recovered late Sunday night. The investigation is ongoing.

Until next week, stay safe!