Best of Police Beat 2018

1906

BYU

Disorderly conduct

April 11 — University Police responded to a male employee’s call that a male student refused to leave the Testing Center after being turned away for having a beard without a beard card.

Drugs

Feb. 7 — An officer responded to a report of the smell of marijuana in the Creamery on Ninth parking lot. The officer detected the distinct odor of a wood-burning fireplace coming from the house across the street.

Fraud

Jan. 31 — A student who sold his laptop over the internet reported the $1,000 payment he received in exchange was fraudulent.

April 9 — A male student reported a computer screen freezing with a pop-up message offering assistance. The student entered his credit card information before realizing it was a scam.

June 11 — An individual felt the shoes they bought over the Internet were fake and reported them.

Theft

Feb. 12 — Two male students were arrested for stealing a golf cart near the Kennedy Center. The golf cart was found near the physical education areas on campus.

Trespassing

Aug. 6–13 — An individual reported the unauthorized use of a computer while an office was closed.

Vandalism

May 30 — An individual reported ice cream smeared across a vehicle’s windshield.

Provo/Orem area

Animal control

Oct. 1 — An officer responded to a report of two juvenile goats found fighting in the middle of 400 E. Center Street at 10 p.m. The officer detained the goats.

Nov. 11 — An officer located a lost pig. The pig was retrieved by its owners on Nov. 15.

Assault

March 23 — A man got upset with another restaurant patron for blowing his nose. The nose-blowing man got angry and punched the complainant.

April 6 — A man reported being assaulted while leaving Costco. He was hit twice by another man’s cart from behind while being receipt-checked at the exit.

April 9 — A man allegedly got so upset while drinking and playing video games that two of his male friends went to check on him. The man allegedly threatened his friends with a knife and stabbed one friend twice in the hand. The other friend allegedly attempted to intervene and the male suspect pulled out a chunk of his hair. The two friends were holding down the male suspect when police arrived. Police arrested the suspect for two counts of aggravated assault.

May 15 — Police broke up a fight between a man, his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend.

An Orem man drove his vehicle into a neighbor’s home following a dispute on Sept. 21. (Orem Police Department)

Sept. 21 — An Orem man upset with his neighbor crashed a vehicle into his neighbor’s home. After attempting to leave the scene, he was charged with aggravated assault and for leaving the scene of an accident.

Breaking and entering

April 9 — A woman allegedly went into an apartment and told the male tenant the apartment belonged to her and he needed to leave. The man left the apartment and called police. The woman was arrested and charged with burglary, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct.

Domestic dispute

March 5 — Police responded to a report of a domestic dispute near 800 West Center Street in Orem. Police say the couple was fighting inside an RV and the disputers fell silent after police knocked on the door. Police said the man refused to exit the vehicle because of a protective order to keep the two apart. The man was found hiding under the bed in the RV.

Drugs

Feb. 26 — Police apprehended a drunken, male food-delivery driver who was reported to have relieved his bowels in the middle of the road near the mouth of Provo Canyon. Police discovered a bottle of vodka in the vehicle.

April 9 — Police stopped to talk to a man and woman lurking around an Orem trailer park at 4 a.m. They both had warrants out for their arrest and the woman gave up the methamphetamine she had stored in her bra. They were both given warnings for the warrants and the woman was cited for drug possession.

April 13 — Orem police responded to a report of a woman hiding in the men’s bathroom of the Family Dollar and taking merchandise out of its packaging. Police caught her leaving the men’s bathroom. She told police she would give them thousands of dollars in jewelry if they would let her go. Police took her to jail, completed a thorough search and found heroin and methamphetamine. She was charged with felony theft, bribery and possession of heroin and methamphetamine.

May 1 — Police responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked in the In-N-Out parking lot. When police arrived to talk to the driver, one of the men in the car told them to leave because they were in the middle of a deal. Police confiscated their weed and arrested the man.

Sept. 13 — A man received a citation after he was found huffing air duster in the bathroom of a local fast food restaurant.

Oct. 1 — An individual attacked his roommate using a knife and a gun while they were using LSD together. He then trespassed into a nearby home and passed out. He was charged with attempted homicide and multiple drug-related charges.

Prostitution

Feb. 10 — A man filed a report when an escort who he did not order came to his front door. Police were unable to identify the suspect.

Reckless driving

March 12 — Police pulled over a woman in a truck for swerving, but police said she wasn’t impaired, she was only looking for her dropped teeth. She was arrested after police found her two arrest warrants.

Theft

March 12 — A man was arrested for stealing donuts, tools and lip balm at Ridley’s Family Market.

March 22 — Police broke up a fight at WinCo between a WinCo loss prevention officer and a patron with a pocketful of sugar-free gummy bears. The patron had warrants out for his arrest.

March 26 — Police responded to a report of a man trying to buy parts for a $12,000 bike that had its serial number removed. A police officer spotted the suspect trying to leave a gas station on the bike and pursued him on foot. The police officer was able to catch the suspect after a motorist offered the police officer a ride. Police found methamphetamine, heroin and paraphernalia in his possession when he was arrested.

April 24 — A man was cited for shoplifting at Smith’s when he tried to leave with a T-bone steak down his pants.

July 4 — A male suspect stole an American flag from the porch of a house in a residential neighborhood.

Sept. 14 — Police reported an antique doll was stolen from a local shop Aug. 31. The circa-1880 doll is made of porcelain, glass, wood and papier-mâché.

Sept. 20 — A man was arrested while attempting to steal two video game consoles from a local business. More stolen materials were found in his car. This man accessed the building through the roof, climbing through a ventilation duct.

Oct. 2 — Two people stole a wallet from a woman while she was shopping at TJ Maxx. Immediately afterward, her card was used at a nearby Gamestop to purchase gift cards, video games and bubble gum.

Oct. 25 — A woman at a local gas station attempted to steal $50 worth of donuts by hiding them in her handbag. When asked about what she was doing, she abandoned the donuts and left.

Nov. 27 — A homemade, 5-foot Grinch Christmas lawn decoration was stolen from the front of a local home.

Traffic infractions and accidents

July 5 — Officers responded to a report of a vehicle with flashing lights trying to pull over another driver. The car was located and the driver said he had a set of red and blue flashing lights inside his vehicle from a Fourth of July soiree the night before and forgot they were on. The suspect had already pulled up next to the car and said he was messing around. The driver was cited for impersonating a police officer.

July 18 — Officers were dispatched to 750 S. Meadow Dr. for an accident involving a self-made go-kart. On arrival, officers and medical personnel gave aid to 46-year-old Chad Norton. He was transported to Utah Valley Hospital, where he was declared deceased. Through investigation and witness statements, Norton was traveling south on 700 West when he went over a speed bump, lost control and was thrown from his go-kart.

Trespassing

Feb. 10 — Police arrested a man for breaking into the front lobby of the police station while under the influence of vodka. Police said they found him sitting cross-legged, meditating on the floor.

Sept. 17 — A man wearing only a thong was reported to be running around an apartment complex at 15 E 200 North.

Vandalism

April 12 — A woman keyed a new Jaguar car in the Orem Smiths’ parking lot while the owner was inside the store.

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