The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) reported the following June incidents in Lakeland. (Editor’s note: All suspects are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, and values are estimated for stolen/damaged items. These are brief summaries of more detailed SCSO reports.)
June 1
- Trotter Drive (simple assault/domestic violence): A woman on the 9400 block of Trotter Drive reported that her husband got physical during an afternoon argument on June 1. While they were in the upstairs bedroom, he grabbed her left arm, pushed her and punched several holes in the wall, she said. She ran to her car to leave, but he took her purse, cell phone and keys from her and threw them in the kitchen, telling her, “You can leave but you’re not taking the car or the cellphone that I pay for.” She went to the neighbor’s house to call law enforcement. The victim told officers she was not injured and didn’t need medical attention. The husband said they argued and he asked her to leave, but she persisted. He said the altercation never became physical, but he admitted to punching holes in the wall out of anger related to financial stress. He agreed to leave the house and did so while deputies were on the scene.
June 4
- Eton Cove (residential burglary): A woman on the 3000 block of Eton Cove reported that a yard crew stole several items from her home between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on June 4. She is selling or donating the majority of the home’s contents as she renovates the house, and she had spoken with the yard crew about possibly trading the items for yard labor. The three men gave her their names and phone numbers, and she left the house unlocked while she took some items to Goodwill. When she returned, another yard crew was on site, and one man told her they saw several black males removing items from the property and leaving in a mid-’80s maroon pickup, possibly a Chevrolet. A neighbor also witnessed the thefts. The victim noticed several items were missing from the house, and more were on the back porch. She removed the items from the pack porch, as well as other items the suspects had asked about, and she secured all doors and windows. Deputies researched the suspects’ phone numbers, two of whom have extensive burglary histories. There was no workable crime scene, and the deputy could not immediately make contact with the neighbor who witnessed the thefts.
June 7
- I-40/Canada Road (stolen property): An officer pulled over a Chevrolet Tahoe at I-40/Canada Road around 11:15 p.m. on June 7 for a broken tail light. The driver advised the officer that he had a gun permit and that his handgun was on his side; the permit checked out to be valid. For his safety, the officer retrieved the driver’s .40 caliber Glock 27 and also checked its serial number on the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The gun showed up on NCIC as stolen. The driver said he bought it at a gun show in Memphis about 10 years ago. The officer confiscated the gun but gave its nine live rounds back to the driver.
June 8
- I-40/Canada Road (assisting/promoting prostitution): While conducting a routine check for a reckless driver on June 8, an officer saw a 2000 red Ford Mustang leave the Super 8 Motel on Huff N Puff. He pulled the car over around 1:44 a.m. on June 8 at I-40/Canada Road for violation of vehicle registration. The car contained a male driver, his girlfriend in the front passenger seat, and an unidentified female in the backseat who didn’t have any ID and said she was 19. The backseat passenger gave the officer two different names, five different Social Security numbers, and three dates of birth. The driver could only produce a “Tennessee ID Only” card because his driver’s license was suspended, and he did not have any car insurance. The officer smelled raw/burned marijuana inside the car and searched the vehicle with the driver’s consent, but he didn’t find any drug contraband. However, the car contained a large number of prophylactics and personal hygiene items, indicating that the group was involved in some sort of sex trade. After interviewing the suspects, the officer found both women in an online sex ad with the driver’s phone number listed as the contact. The front-seat passenger said they had just returned from Jackson, Tenn., and had stopped at the Super 8 to take photos for another ad on the website. The driver was issue a misdemeanor citation for driving while his license was suspended, financial responsibility, violation of vehicle registration and promoting prostitution. The front-seat passenger was issued a misdemeanor citation for promoting prostitution. The rear-seat passenger was transported to Jail East for promoting prostitution and criminal impersonation.
June 9
- Old Brunswick (false pretenses/swindle/confidence game): A woman on the 5900 block of Old Brunswick reported that she was conned out of a 1993 Crownline boat ($3,500) between May 29 and June 9. She and the suspect had a verbal agreement, but he “forgot” the money when he came to pick up the boat on May 29. She let him take it anyway with his promise to bring the payment later that day. She has not heard from him since then, but she said the boat is at his house behind a fence.
- Woodland Elm Cove South (false pretenses/swindle/confidence game): A woman on the 2900 block of Woodland Elm Cove South said she was swindled out of $500 when trying to buy a French bulldog puppy advertised online. She texted the number in the ad and received an email about setting up the puppy’s shipment; it required $500 on a reloadable credit card. She bought the card on June 9 and gave her contact the code on the back of the card. She has not heard from the advertiser since then. She contacted the credit card company, who said the money was transferred to another card that same day.
June 10
- Leeward Slopes (theft of vehicle parts/accessories): A resident on the 9600 block of Leeward Slopes said someone broke into her 2002 Toyota Celica while it was parked in front of the residence overnight between 11:30 p.m. June 9 and 11:57 a.m. June 10. Items stolen included two 10-inch Memphis 10 subwoofers ($1,200). She said she believed the doors were locked, and the responding officer saw damage to the driver’s side door. The officer took crime scene photos and lifted partial prints from the outer lip of the car’s hatchback door. The victim said it was the fourth time someone has broken into her vehicle while it was parked there, and she suspects a 16-year-old neighbor who knew her family was out of town. He does her parents’ landscaping and mowing, and they leave money for him in the mailbox. She said he took the money but didn’t finish the work, suggesting that he was in the area when the car theft occurred. The suspect has previous drug/theft charges from juvenile court.
June 11
- Clef Drive (simple assault/domestic violence): A wife on the 3200 block of Clef Drive said her husband squeezed her face and left shoulder at 11:30 p.m. June 7 and threatened to kill her. She went to stay with her parents, who persuaded her to report the incident on June 11. The responding officer saw bruising on the woman’s face and shoulder and photographed her injuries. The suspect’s whereabouts are unknown.
June 12
- Woodland Fern Drive (residential burglary): A woman on the 9900 block of Woodland Fern Drive said someone burglarized her home, taking a green money bag with $2,000 in cash. She said she locked the house when she left at 5:15 a.m. June 11, and she found the back door unlocked when she returned around 10:15 a.m. The next morning, she noticed that the rear kitchen window was broken, and she discovered the cash was missing.
June 15
- Salem Valley Cove (felony vandalism): A father on the 6700 block of Salem Valley Cove said someone damaged his stepson’s Toyota Tacoma between 8 p.m. June 14 and 10:42 a.m. June 15. The father said he first noticed the mud flaps had been removed, and he then noticed several strands of cut wires on the ground near the left front tire. He started the Tacoma, and the warning lights flashed for the vehicle’s traction control and ABS braking system. Neither the father nor the stepson could provide suspect information, a possible motive for the vandalism or an estimate of the repair costs.
June 16
- Stewart Road (theft of vehicle parts/accessories): A Lakeland woman reported that someone stole the license plate from her 2014 Jeep Wrangler between 8 a.m. June 9 and 7:45 a.m. June 16. She did not know whether the theft happened at her home on the 5900 block of Quito Drummonds Road in Millington or at work on the 9800 block of Stewart Road in Lakeland. There was no workable crime scene, and the license plate number was entered into NCIC.
June 17
- Herons Pond Cove (simple assault/domestic violence): A woman said her husband had been using cocaine, and he punched her in the face when she was trying to leave their home around 1:30 p.m. on June 17. Earlier that morning, she found multiple syringes, a belt and bloody bandages in his desk, despite his claims he was sober. He was enraged when he got home and confronted her about the missing syringes. Then he poured milk on her vehicle in the garage and parked his vehicle behind hers so she could not leave. She and her daughter made it to the vehicle before he struck her on her left cheek with a closed fist. The child witnessed the attack. Officers did not see any visible injuries to the victim at the time of the report, and the suspect said he only pushed his wife’s hair away from her face. Officers took him into custody and took him to jail on domestic charges.
June 19
- Memphis Arlington Road (theft from motor vehicle): A man on the 11600 block of Memphis Arlington Road said he gave a ride to a man who then stole his pistol between 11 p.m. and midnight on June 18. The victim said he picked up the suspect at his home, and he saw the suspect handling the gun, a .38 Smith & Wesson snub-nose revolver, while they were driving. He drive the suspect to a hotel on Sycamore View, but the suspect didn’t have any ID and couldn’t get a room. Then the driver got a call about a medical emergency regarding his mother, so he headed home to check on her. The men began arguing, and the driver told the suspect to get out of his car at U.S. 70/Canada Road. The suspect left on foot, and the driver went to Sonic, where he noticed his gun was missing from his holster. The driver could not provide the gun’s serial number at the time of the report, so the revolver could not be placed on NCIC.
June 20
- Old Brownsville Road (threatening phone call): A woman reported getting threatening text messages from another woman over a mutual friend, the suspect’s ex-boyfriend, between June 1 and June 20. The suspect believes they are sleeping together. The victim saved the text messages, which said “Your dead” and threatened to beat her up. The victim said the suspect also asked a friend to beat up the victim. The victim said she and the suspect had a previous fight at Snowden Grove on June 19, and she then filed a report with the Southaven Police Department. She said she now wants to get an order of protection.
June 21
- Herons Ridge Drive (felony vandalism): Someone broke out the driver’s side, passenger’s side and rear hatch windows ($600) on a woman’s car on the 10200 block of Herons Ridge Drive between midnight and 8:04 a.m. June 21. The vehicle, a white 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS, was parked on the street in front of her home. The victim said she didn’t know anyone who would have a reason to vandalize her car. An officer processed the scene for evidence, took photos and completed a crime scene report. The victim said she wants to pursue charges in this incident.
- Maple Walk Drive (misdemeanor vandalism): Someone broke the rear driver’s side window ($150) of a woman’s car on the 4600 block of Maple Walk Drive between midnight and 7:30 a.m. June 21. The car was a silver 2005 Cadillac Escalade. The victim said she had just moved to the address and didn’t know anyone, so she suspected children in the neighborhood might have broken her window. An officer took photos and completed a crime scene report. The victim said she wants to pursue charges in the incident.
June 22
- Champions Drive (drug equipment violation): An officer responded to a possible kidnapping on the 2400 block of Champions Drive on June 22 and detained the homeowner while sweeping the residence for threats. During the search, the deputy spotted a glass meth pipe containing dark residue and two plastic straws containing white powder residue. The homeowner said he was the only permanent resident. The deputy confiscated the evidence and issued him a misdemeanor citation for possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Champions Drive (forcible rape): Officers responded around in the early morning hours of June 22 to a forcible rape report on the 2400 block of Champions Drive. The victim was not present, but they discovered drug paraphernalia when searching the residence for threats (see the preceding report). The Memphis Police Department advised that the female victim had flagged down an officer at the Holiday Inn near New Brunswick and U.S. 64, reporting sexual assaults by the man on Champions Drive. He was a friend who was letting her stay with him because she had nowhere else to go. She said she was asleep on his living room sofa when he came home from work around 5 p.m. on June 20 and raped her. He threatened to kill her if she told anyone or if she left his home, she said, and he raped her again the next morning on the bathroom floor. She because suicidal. She texted her ex-boyfriend, who picked her up at the house. The deputy questioned the suspect at GIB headquarters and then released him without charge and took him home. The victim went to the Rape Crisis Center for collection of evidence.
- Three Iron Drive (simple assault/domestic violence): A woman on the 9200 block of Three Iron Drive said her son’s father got angry when she didn’t immediately open the door to him on the afternoon of June 22, so he kicked in the front door, charged at her and punched her with a closed hand several times on the left side of her face. The suspect was gone when the responding officer arrived, and the victim had a split lip that was bleeding. She refused medical treatment. She said her son’s father is not on the apartment’s lease but had been staying there occasionally. She had changed the locks when he left the last time, about a month before the assault.
June 24
- Canada Road (business burglary): The property manager at Lakeland Factory Outlet Mall (3536 Canada Road) said someone entered through a side door between 3:45 a.m. and 6 a.m. on June 24. Nothing was taken, and there was no damage except at the entry point (more than $1,000). This property has had numerous vandalism and burglary reports recently, and the manager speculated that someone may be squatting on the property. He requested documentation of the incident for his records. The property has no surveillance cameras, but a private security company patrols at night.
- Knobby Pine Lane (theft from building): A new resident on the 5300 block of Knobby Pine Lane said she noticed her wallet was missing while movers were unloading her belongings between noon and 4 p.m. June 24. She had placed her purse on the kitchen counter after a shopping trip and later noticed that two of the suspects quickly left the kitchen when she entered. She discovered the theft when she went to tip the movers. Officers interviewed the victim and the movers on site but were unable to locate the wallet in the house or on the suspect. The driver said he reported the alleged theft to his manager.
- Parrish Drive (residential burglary): A resident on the 9900 block of Parrish Drive said someone took the side window off her trailer while she was gone between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on June 24, but nothing was stolen. She had no suspect information. A deputy worked the crime scene, but there were no prints and no pictures.
June 25
- U.S. 64 (misdemeanor shoplifting): A store employee on the 9100 block of U.S. 64 said he saw a black male in dark clothing dash out with stolen items between 11:37 p.m. June 24 and 12:40 a.m. June 25. The suspect left in a green four-door Geo Prism driven by another black male. The employee said the suspect visits often, so he knows his face. The suspect tried to use a credit card that was declined, and he also tried to use the ATM.
June 26
- Canada Road (motor vehicle theft): A woman on the 3600 block of Canada Road said her Ford Taurus and her daughter were gone when she woke up on June 26. Her daughter, who lives in Memphis, has not responded to any of the mother’s efforts to reach her. The SCSO dispatcher entered the car into NCIC.
- Kingsridge Drive (individual robbery): A woman on the 9600 block of Kingsridge Drive said two black male robbed her at gunpoint in her yard at 8:50 p.m. as she was getting her things together after a grocery shopping trip. She said the men emerged from a black four-door sedan parked at a nearby stop sign and demanded her purse. The suspect with the small pistol wore a white shirt and blue jeans, and the other wore a dark shirt and dark pants. They drove off with her purse toward Davies Plantation Road. She told the responding officers she didn’t recognize the suspects or the vehicle, and she was not injured.
June 27
- Kingsridge Drive (counterfeiting/forgery): A woman on the 9700 block of Kingsridge Drive reported that someone was forging checks on her mother’s Regions checking account, which she has power of attorney to manage. She showed the responding officer several copies of checks printed with her account number but another person’s name. The checks were for transactions in Georgia, totaling about $4,400 over two weeks. The bank has flagged the account. The only suspect information available at the time of the report was the name used on the forged checks.
