The Bartlett Police Department handled reports of fraud, a church burglary, vehicle theft and more for the period of Feb. 26-March 4.
Editor’s note: This report represents the most notable incidents provided by BPD and does not necessarily reflect all police activity. 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 BPD reports. Incidents are listed in order of the dates they were reported.
Feb. 26
Dawn Ridge Cove (theft from motor vehicle)
A Bartlett man looked outside around 1 a.m. and noticed that his car doors were open and it appeared as if someone had rummaged through his vehicle. He said the vehicle’s doors were unlocked, and he didn’t notice that anything was missing.
North Mayer Cove (auto burglary)
A man reported that someone entered his vehicle between Feb. 23 and Feb. 26 and stole a pair of Apple headphones and his wallet, which contained personal documents and cash. The officers saw no signs of forced entry.
Abelia Hill (vandalism)
A woman said someone scratched her vehicle’s trunk, hood and all driver’s side doors and panels. She said the damage happened between 8:20 a.m. and about 11:20 a.m. that day. A neighbor also reported seeing a silver pickup truck just sitting at the intersection of Abelia Hill and Autumnhill.
Feb. 27
U.S. 64 (theft)
A woman said an unknown male suspect in a hoodie approached her in the parking lot of Walmart (8400 U.S. 64). She said the suspect asked to take something, took her purse and fled to a nearby black SUV driven by another person. They fled the scene.
Feb. 28
U.S. 64 (auto burglary)
An unknown male suspect was seen entering the back parking lot of the Serra Chevrolet dealership on foot at 5:52 a.m. The suspect went to a blue GMC Sierra parked on the lot, punched the lock on the driver’s side and gained entry. The suspect them removed the stereo/DVD player from the vehicle and left the scene.
Luther Road (burglary)
A woman returning home around 4:10 p.m. found a broken window pane on her back door. Responding officers found broken glass inside near the door. She said nothing seemed to be missing or disturbed inside or outside of the home.
March 2
Bristol Park (theft from a building)
A man whose girlfriend moved out of his apartment on Feb. 27 reported that he later discovered his Movada men’s watch was missing. He said Armstrong Relocation Company came to his home on Feb. 26 and packed up her belongings, and his watch was present then. The company returned on Feb. 27, and it was later that night when he realized his watch was missing.
Marbry (theft)
A man said someone stole a check from his checkbook and tried to cash it for $1,300 at Southern Security FCU on Austin Peay. The bank called him at the time the suspect was attempting to cash the check, and he was able to stop payment.
Unspecified location (theft)
A woman said her cell phone went missing after she allowed a co-worker to use it to call a ride. The co-worker said she left the phone sitting on a back table, but the complainant wasn’t able to find it there.
Ruskin Road (false pretenses)
A man was tricked out of $9,000 by a Nigerian scam on Facebook. He said someone contacted him via the social network on Aug. 31, saying she was Nigerian, had lost both parents at an early age and needed money to survive. Over a period of six months, the man transferred approximately $4,500 in 20 installments to this person via several methods/accounts.
Recently, the scammer contacted the man and said she could pay him back but would need another $4,500 wired to an account in order to pay for documents that would let her release shares to which she was entitled, and he agreed.
March 3
Germantown Road (burglary of a business)
A woman at the Hilton across the parking lot from Eatwell Restaurant said she heard a noise and saw an unknown male in a blue or dark hoodie and black pants exiting the window of Tandy Leather, carrying something. The suspect fled north on foot.
The responding officers saw that the restaurant’s front and side windows and Tandy leather’s front window were all broken. The Tandy Leather manager said the cash register drawer was open and the counter had been ransacked.
W. Monica Drive (theft)
A man assisting on a remodeling job said someone stole numerous tools from his vehicle at the job site. He reported suspects who were there on Feb. 28 and said the tools were missing as of March 3.
On 3-3-18 at approximately 1129, Officer was called to W. Monica in regard to a theft. Upon arrival, Officer spoke with the complainant/victim who stated that the suspects had been at the address where they are assisting on a remodeling job on 2-28-18, and when he returned to the job site on 3-3-18, he found numerous tools missing from his vehicle.
U.S. 64 (fraud/swindle)
An unknown male caller swindled two employees at TCBY frozen yogurt (7990 U.S. 64) out of cash on March 2, according to the owner. The caller said the store was under investigation because of employee theft and then asked for the employee’s cell phone number.
After calling that number, the caller directed the employee to take $500 from the register and buy a Visa card at Walgreen’s at 6697 Stage Road. The caller had the employee scratch off the back of the card and give him the code, then tear up the card and throw it in the trash. The caller then thanked him for cooperating, told him not to clean the store and said to have a good night.
Kate Hyde Drive (stolen vehicle)
A man said someone stole his gray Buick Regal at 12:53 p.m. from the parking lot of East Coast Wings (2946 Kate Hyde Drive). One of his friends saw the vehicle being driven toward Interstate 40.
Kirby Whitten (burglary)
A man reported that a suspect pulled onto the lot of his business around 2:36 a.m. and stepped out of a dark four-door vehicle. He then walked to the front door and used a string tied to a sticky piece of paper or cardboard on one end to fish through the drop-off/mail slot at the business. After a few tries, he snagged a white Bank of America envelope containing cash. The suspect then got into the passenger side door and left.
The suspect wore a jacket, jeans and tennis shoes and had a short fade haircut with some facial hair.
Wolf Shadow Lane (vandalism)
A man said someone had knocked numerous chunks of concrete out of his driveway. He works the night shift, and he keeps finding new spots of damage when he returns home. He believes the incidents are happening while he is at work.
Linda Joyce Drive (credit card fraud)
A woman got a call from her bank about suspicious charges to her credit card. She had the physical card with her but learned that someone had been using her card/account at the local Lowe’s Hardware (8300 U.S. 64) and Kroger (7615 U.S. 70) stores.
March 4
U.S. 70 (burglary)
Bartlett First Assembly Church of Christ was already reeling from the cost of remodeling to repair water damages when someone burglarized the church. An unknown male entered through an unlocked door around 9 a.m. March 2 and stole an RCA laptop, a PowerLite digital projector and Sanus ceiling mounting bracket.
The person wasn’t a member of the construction crew working on the church and didn’t have permission to be on the property. He’s described as being about 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 230 lbs., and having a buzzed haircut and goatee. He was seen wearing a dark orange T-shirt and blue jeans.
Snickers Road (fraud/false pretenses/swindle/identity theft)
A woman reported finding two fraudulent entries on her credit bureau report. Both of the charges were made on two Comcast accounts that were not hers.
