The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) reported handling the following incidents in Arlington during October.
Editor’s note: All suspects are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and values are estimated for stolen/damaged items. These are brief summaries of detailed SCSO reports.
Oct. 1
Misty Trail (identity theft)
A resident on the 12000 block of Misty Trail reported Oct. 1 that someone had stolen her identity and fraudulently accessed her Wells Fargo checking account. An unauthorized person used her funds to send $180 to nbcheck.com on Sept. 10 and three payments of $39.99 each to wtseticket.com on Sept. 15.
Her bank investigated and found that someone used her identity to set up an account with wtseticket.com. The victim said she didn’t know who did this and that her identity has been compromised in the past.
Airline Road (misdemeanor drugs/narcotics violation)
Arlington High School assistant principal Carolyn Weirich reported on Oct. 1 getting an anonymous tip that a student had a pill bottle with marijuana in it. When officers and two assistant principals interviewed him at school, the student said he had the marijuana in his backpack. He said he bought it from someone in his neighborhood.
He received a juvenile summons for being a minor in possession of drugs and was suspended for 180 school days. The substance in the bottle tested positive as marijuana with a total weight of 0.1 gram.
Oct. 2
Lamb Road (intimidation)
A female student at Arlington Middle School reported Oct. 2 that another student threatened to beat her until she bleeds. The two later argued in front of other students at the lockers.
The mother of the potential victim wanted a report taken just in case the situation wasn’t resolved and it recurred. The suspect received a two-day in-school suspension (ISS).
U.S. 70 (intimidation/domestic violence)
A woman reported on Oct. 2 that she was getting multiple threatening messages via Facebook from her ex-boyfriend of two weeks.
One message threatened to run through her house if she didn’t pick up his calls. Another claimed to know every stop she made when leaving him, and he listed a specific address. A third message said, “Doing what you are doing is only gonna get me to the point to do something I’ll regret.”
The victim said he has a history of assaulting her in Paducah, Ky., and she knew he had connections in Tennessee. She feared he might try to harm her.
The suspect continued sending her multiple messages while the responding deputy was on the scene, taking the report. She refused an offer to be transported to another location.
Oct. 6
Airline Road (felony vandalism)
A female and male student were arguing in the Arlington High School band room Oct. 5 as she tried to stop him from bothering another female student. When he wouldn’t quit, she punched him. He took her cellphone away from her, slammed it to the floor and broke it.
The second female student reported the incident to the band teacher and the school’s administration the next morning.
The mother of the first female student said she doesn’t want him around her daughter anymore and she wants to press vandalism charges.
Oct. 7
Hillary Cove (simple assault/domestic violence)
A father on the 11900 block of Hillary Cove reported Oct. 7 that he and his son had argued about soft drinks. The son, who suffers from a mood disorder, got angry, tussled with his father and then grabbed a replica sword.
The son put the sword down and went to the sunroom when the father called the sheriff’s office, but he fled before officers arrived. When he returned, the father called officers to come back.
The son confirmed that his dad’s story was accurate and went with officers to the Memphis Mental Health Institute for an emergency commitment.
Oct. 9
Airline Road (theft from building)
Someone stole a student’s Backun clarinet from the band room at Arlington High School, the victim reported on Oct. 9. The theft occurred between 5 p.m. Oct. 9 and 6:45 a.m. Oct. 9. The victim had no suspect information.
A sheriff’s office dispatcher entered the clarinet’s serial number into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
Oct. 12
Elderton Drive (other theft/non-specific)
A site superintendent reported Oct. 12 that someone had stolen an Amana heating/air conditioning unit from a home being built on the 12400 block of Elderton Drive.
It was taken between 4 p.m. Oct. 9 and 8:10 a.m. Oct. 12. The superintendent couldn’t provide a serial number or model number for the unit, which had an estimated value of $3,300-$3,500. No latent fingerprints could be lifted at the scene.
Marquis Court (other theft/non-specific)
A woman on the 11200 block of Marquis Court reported the theft of car keys on Oct. 12. Her stepson put his keys on the top of the Acura TSX’s trunk while he went for a late afternoon run, and the keys were gone when he returned.
He saw children by his vehicle at the time, but no one reported seeing the children take the keys.
Oct. 14
Hickory Run Place (residential burglary)
A Hickory Run Place resident noticed several saws missing from his garage on Saturday, Oct. 12, so he called his brother (who has a key to the house) to ask if he had taken them. The brother said he hadn’t used any of the tools recently.
The victim also said his brother called him at work the previous day to find out if he was at home. The victim was at work and said he thought that everyone else was at church. The victim’s wife also called him minutes later, asking why the brother and the brother’s girlfriend were at the house unannounced.
The victim suspected his brother of theft and asked a Memphis police officer friend to check whether the missing items had been pawned. The officer found that the brother had pawned several missing items over several weeks, including a Yeti cooler on Oct. 6, a bracelet in September and a Craftsman push mower on Oct. 10.
The victim followed up with EZ Pawn at 4751 Summer Ave., Memphis, which confirmed that a Yeti cooler had been pawned there. The victim then searched the house and found that several items were missing, such as his wife’s gold jewelry.
No serial numbers were available for the missing items. An officer took crime scene photos and lifted fingerprints from the wife’s jewelry box in the bedroom.
Evening Mist Drive (threatening phone call)
A resident on the 5400 block of Evening Mist Drive reported hearing his girlfriend’s ex-husband on the phone, talking loudly and cursing at her on Oct. 14. The boyfriend warned the ex about his language.
The suspect reportedly responded, “I am going to take a knife and slit your throat.”
Dempsey Drive (misdemeanor vandalism)
A woman said someone scratched her boy-friend’s Ford F150 while it was parked at their home on the 11600 block of Dempsey Drive.
The damage happened between 6 p.m. Oct. 13 and 4:30 a.m. Oct. 14, and she suspects her ex-husband, who came by for a child exchange during that time period.
Oct. 15
Eldridge Ridge Drive (identity theft)
A collection agency called a man who lives on the 6000 block of Eldridge Ridge Drive on Oct. 15 about an outstanding balance on a Sprint wireless phone account.
The man said he did not have a Sprint account, and the caller said his Social Security number was used to open the account.
U.S. 70 (counterfeiting/forgery)
An Arlington businessman reported his suspicions on Oct. 15 that an ex-employee forged his signature to endorse a female customer’s $3,732.42 check.
A USAA Bank representative said the bank sent the check to the woman on Sept. 24. It was payable to her, Tennessee Home Improvers (Brian Elder Roofing, the businessman’s company) and U.S. Bank Home Mortgage. Faxed documents showed that someone forged the name of his company, Brian Elder Roofing, and USAA Bank.
It was too late to stop payment on the check, so he contacted the female customer. The check was cashed at a local convenience store, and she gave all funds to the suspect on Oct. 5.
The businessman said he has had previous forgery and theft issues with the suspect.
The suspect reportedly said the woman gave him a $1,500 check for outside contract services and that he owned a company stamp in case he needed to sign the businessman’s name when he was unavailable.
The businessman fired the suspect, contacted the sheriff’s office and reported that he never endorsed the check or received funds from it.
Oct. 17
Bonsai Bend, Lakeland (simple assault)
A woman reported a drunken assault with fists and a kitchen spatula on the 1500 block of Bonsai Bend on Oct. 17. About 1:30 a.m., she said one man attacked his sister’s boyfriend for being disrespectful to her. She said the victim was struck in the head and that all parties involved were intoxicated at the time.
The attacker left before officers arrived, and the victim had minor scrapes and a slightly swollen forehead. He declined medical attention.
Oct. 20
Airline Road (intimidation)
A mother reported Oct. 20 that a male student at Arlington High School threatened to kill her son, and she provided a text message of the threat and a photo of the suspect with a black handgun.
The victim and the suspect exchanged texts with homophobic and racial slurs, and one threat referred to things the victim’s girlfriend had said.
The AHS principal, an assistant principal and two officers interviewed the suspect and checked his backpack, and an officer physically patted him down for weapons. He admitted making the threat just to scare the victim. The suspect said the victim had threatened him too but did not have any evidence of it.
He was suspended for 180 school days and picked up by his father.
Cranston Drive (felony vandalism)
A man reported that someone drove on and damaged the grassy area north of Primary Eye Care of Arlington (11860 Cranston Drive) between Oct. 17 and 20. He estimated damages at $1,500. No suspect information was available.
Oct. 22
Milton Wilson Drive (felony vandalism)
Someone broke one pane in a window on the north side of the Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Office (1147 Milton Wilson Drive) on Oct. 19. There was no suspect information.
Chapel Meadow Cove (theft from motor vehicle)
A resident on the 5500 block of Chapel Meadow Cove reported on Oct. 22 that someone had stolen his Glock handgun from his Ford F150. He kept it in his truck’s center console and noticed it missing that day. He was not sure when or where it was taken and said he had not noticed the gun for a couple of weeks.
There was no sign of forced entry, and the man said he leaves his truck unlocked sometimes.
The gun’s serial number was added to the NCIC database.
Oct. 24
Longleaf Oak/Arlington Trail (felony drug/narcotics violation)
An officer noticed a purple Mazda CX-9 stopped in the road on Waterfront Oak near Misty Trail, blocking traffic, around 2:50 a.m. Oct. 24. The officer approached and smelled the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The driver admitted that he had drugs but wasn’t sure where they were.
He consented to a search, and the deputy found a glass jar of suspected marijuana in the car’s center console. The officer also found a black digital scale near the jar and a white iPhone 5s box on the passenger-side floorboard. The box contained a clear plastic baggy containing 1.1 oz. of leafy greens and an orange plastic grinder similar to those used for cutting marijuana.
The driver was arrested, and the confiscated marijuana was tested and weighed in at a total of 33.4 grams.
Melanie Creek Cove (intimidation)
No details are publicly available from a report of intimidation on the 5200 block of Melanie Creek Cove. The incident occurred between 4:40 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. Oct. 24.
Oct. 26
U.S. 70 (counterfeiting/forgery)
A spokesman for Arlington Liquors (11949 U.S. 70) reported on Oct. 26 that the store’s bank returned three checks from Aramark Correctional SVS on Oct. 24. The checks all used the same check number and were payable to three different men. There were thumbprints found on the backs of all three checks.
The suspects cashed checks in these amounts: $295.57 on Oct. 14, $267.78 on Oct. 15 and $365.78 on Oct. 16.
Chapel Meadow Cove (intimidation)
A resident on the 5500 block of Chapel Meadow Cove said his girlfriend’s ex-husband came to his home, making threats and wanting to fight him. The girlfriend received texts from the suspect, telling the two of them to come outside and get hurt.
The complainant said this suspect threatened to kill him in May and June and has threatened the girlfriend, who is afraid to file a report because she and the suspect share a son. The complainant said this was their first official report.
He also said neighbors have spotted a white Ford F150 like the suspect’s parked in the area previously.
Maple Landing (false pretenses/swindle/confidence game)
A caller posing as a representative of the Internal Revenue Service left a voice message on Oct. 26 for a Maple Landing Drive resident. The caller alleged the resident owed $4,945 for tax fraud between 2008 and 2014.
The potential victim refused to provide any personal information or funds to the suspect.
Oct. 30
Longleaf Oak Trail (motor vehicle theft of a passenger vehicle)
A man reported Oct. 30 that someone stole a 2006 Infinity G35 from his driveway overnight on the 12300 block of Longleaf Oak Trail. The vehicle belongs to his father’s business, Brotech Inc. (3995 Brunswick Road, Memphis).
There was no broken glass or other sign of forced entry at the scene, and the man said he accidentally left the vehicle unlocked with keys on the seat.
Missing items that were in the car included a laptop, two child car seats, and tae kwon do sparring gloves and pads.
He posted info about the theft on Facebook, and someone reported seeing four males wearing hoodies, walking in the area around 2:15 a.m. that morning, and the witness then saw the vehicle being driven away.
The car’s information was entered into the NCIC database.
Rolling Lake Drive (motor vehicle theft/ motorcycle)
A resident on the 12600 block of Rolling Lake Drive reported Oct. 30 that someone stole a four-wheeler, go-cart, weapons and cash overnight.
Items taken from the yard included a black-and-red four-wheeler of unknown make and model ($700) and a gray and blue Murray Kilowat go-cart ($800). Items stolen from the victim’s Ford F150 included two yellow Dewalt 18-volt impact guns ($200) and $10 in change.
The four-wheeler and go-cart were recovered with no apparent damage in a nearby field and returned to the victim. A crime scene officer took photos and fingerprints.
Someone also ransacked the victim’s pickup, but nothing was stolen. Both vehicles were unlocked, parked in the driveway and had no alarms on. There were no known witnesses or suspect information, but the victim said a neighbor might have security camera footage.
A neighbor also said her vehicles had been ransacked but nothing was taken, and she refused to file a report.
Marley Street (residential burglary)
A man reported that some property missing after he left a neighborhood acquaintance alone in his home briefly on Oct. 30. The victim, a resident on the 5900 block of Marley Street, said he was missing a Sony Play-Station ($470) and an estimated $765 in games.
There were no signs of forced entry into the home, and the responding officer found a PlayStation box at the home with a serial number on it. The serial number was entered into the NCIC database.
U.S. 70 (theft from building)
The general manager at McDonald’s (11590 U.S. 70) reported Oct. 30 that someone had stolen a headset ($2,000) used at the restaurant’s drive-through window. He noticed it missing on Oct. 29 and reviewed security footage until he saw the theft occur on Oct. 23.
An unknown black male wearing a black hoodie and black pants took the headset from the order counter to the seating area and gave it to another person. The recipient was an unknown white male wearing tan pants a gray T-shirt and a tan baseball cap; he left with the headset.
Oct. 31
U.S. 70 (misdemeanor shoplifting)
An on-duty manager at Dollar General (12035 U.S. 70) reported Oct. 31 that a black male walked out with a $10 laundry basket full of unknown products that were covered with clothing estimated at $100.
The complainant said there is video surveillance footage available of the suspect. The responding officers checked the area but did not locate the suspect.
