The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) handled the following incidents in Arlington during the first half of February. See next week’s issue for the remaining February reports.
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.
Feb. 1
Cypress Ridge Drive (theft of vehicle parts/ accessories)
An AT&T employee reported Feb. 1 that someone had stolen the license plate from one of the fleet vehicles parked on the store’s lot at 3138 Cypress Ridge Drive. The theft occurred between 7 p.m. Jan. 18 and 7 a.m. Jan. 19.
The responding officer listed the tag on the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database and learned that the Florida Department of Agriculture had run the license plate on Jan. 29 at Inspection Station 6A.
Hayes Road (intimidation)
A mother reported Feb. 1 that her eighth-grade daughter felt threatened and intimidated by 15 text messages a classmate at Arlington Middle School sent on Jan. 31. The messages asked where she lived and if the victim wanted to fight the suspect. One said, “I’ve fought bigger b—— than you before. I ain’t afraid.”
The victim said she and the suspect began having disputes and problems about two months ago when the suspect began thinking the victim was talking bad about her and didn’t like her.
The mother said the school principal and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office school resource officer who works at the school are also aware of the situation.
Feb. 3
Airline Road (theft from building)
A mother reported Feb. 3 that someone stole her son’s cell phone from his locker during wrestling practice (2:30-4:30 p.m.) the previous day at Arlington High School (5475 Airline Road). The video camera in the area was not operable at the time.
The mother contacted the cell phone service provider to activate the phone’s GPS navigator, but the phone was turned off. She also was informed that someone had tried to change the cell phone code.
Airline Road (theft from building)
Another mother reported on Feb. 3 that someone stole her son’s cell phone at Arlington High School too. He last saw his Apple cell phone outside the mat room by the gym at AHS (5475 Airline Road). The theft happened between 2:15 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.
The victim said he does have a tracking app on the phone but was unable to locate it at the time of the report. The phone’s information was entered into the NCIC database.
Feb. 4
Airline Road (simple assault)
A lunchtime spat turned violent at Arlington High School on Feb. 4. The suspect said the victim called her to a table, asked her to stop bullying another student and called her a “ho.”
The suspect said she became angry and hit the victim. A male witness said the suspect pushed the victim’s head to the table and began hitting her head.
The responding officer saw a bruise and red mark on both sides of the victim’s face. The suspect received a juvenile summons for assault and was suspended for three school days.
Bending Creek Cove (simple child abuse)
A doctor contacted the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) on behalf of a boy whose father reportedly gave him a spanking that left marks.
The boy’s maternal grandmother said her daughter dropped the boy off at the ex-husband’s house for visitation on Jan. 31. The home is on the 4900 block of Bending Creek Cove.
When the grandmother picked the child up from school on Feb. 2, she received a text from the father, saying he had spanked the boy on Feb. 1. The grandmother noticed marks on the boy’s buttocks and sides of his hips. The mother said she took the boy for an examination, and his doctor reviewed the injuries and called DCS.
The mother said her attorney advised that a sheriff’s report needed to be completed.
A deputy met with the boy, his grandmother and the male companion and got permission from the mother via phone to take photos of the boy’s injuries.
Feb. 5
Airline Road (simple assault)
Two male teens at Arlington High School (5475 Airline Road) escalated an insult session into a fight on Feb. 5.
One called the other fat, and they started pushing each other, with the insulted boy then striking the other in the mouth. The boy who got hit said they were both swapping insults before the fight. Each received a juvenile summons for assault and a three-day out-of-school suspension.
A witness said he tried to break up the fight, but the boy who was insulted elbowed him in the rib cage. The witness said he was not injured.
Feb. 8
Airline Road (misdemeanor drugs/narcotics violation)
A male student at Arlington High School came under the scrutiny of an assistant principal on Feb. 8 by arriving late and appearing to be under the influence of drugs.
Officers and the assistant principal said the suspect had red eyes, droopy eyelids, slurred speech and marijuana odor on one hand. The suspect admitted getting high before he came to school.
In a search, officers found a small glass container and a bandage holder that smelled like marijuana, as well as a marijuana roach that weighed 0.1 gram in the teen’s backpack.
The student received a juvenile summons and a suspension of 180 school days. He was released to his mother’s custody.
Feb. 9
Hidden Meadow Drive and Aster Cove (misdemeanor vandalism)
A woman was driving south on Hidden Meadow Drive near Aster Cove on Feb. 9 when she heard a loud noise, as if something had hit her General Motors Yukon. She saw that a group of kids were walking past her SUV.
A male youth said he had been swinging a metal bold in his hand when he accidentally let go and it struck the vehicle. The victim said she believes it was intentional. The deputy observed a dent about 1 inch in diameter on the passenger-side rear quarter panel of the SUV.
The boy’s mother said he was having behavioral problems and being taken to therapy and given medication. The boy said he didn’t mean to hit anyone but just wanted to “mess with them” when the bolt accidentally slipped from his hand and struck the SUV. The boy’s mother agreed to pay for the vehicle’s damages; the victim declined to prosecute him.
Shane Hollow Drive (other motor vehicle theft)
A woman witnessed a man stealing a mini go-kart on Feb. 9.
Two children drove their go-kart to a home on the 12700 block of Shane Hollow Drive, and a woman at that addressed noticed an unfamiliar Chevrolet trailing behind them. When they came inside and left the go-kart in her driveway, the suspicious driver put the go-kart in the bed of his pickup and headed northbound on Olivia Falls Drive.
The children’s father, a resident on the 5900 block of Windsor Oak Drive, said he had just bought the go-kart on Feb. 1. He believes he has seen the Chevrolet in the area previously, possibly because of construction in the neighborhood. The go-kart’s identifying information was entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
Feb. 10
Gulf Stream Road (intimidation)
One man reported Feb. 10 that a co-worker has been intimidating him since April 2015. Both are welders at Gerdau Long Steel (11445 Gulf Stream Road).
According to the victim, the suspect got upset that the victim was being more productive at work. The suspect reportedly said the supervisors were going to expect everyone to work that hard, and it will be the victim’s fault if the suspect gets fired.
The victim said the suspect has made multiple statements such as, “I know where you live” and “Snitches get stitches,” and the suspect has also commented that he knows what bus the victim’s wife rides daily. The victim said he fears bodily harm.
Feb. 13
Elderton Drive (felony vandalism)
A Grand & Co. real estate agent reported Feb. 13 that someone did $21,000 of damage to a newly built home on the 12400 block of Elderton Drive.
The complainant said someone broke in and did the following vandalism: water damage to the hardwood floor in the great room ($10,000), water damage to the kitchen’s cabinets ($7,000), 4 holes in Sheetrock ($3,000) and damage from removal of a double-pane window ($1,000).
The damage happened between 4 p.m. Feb. 12 and noon Feb. 13. When the complainant entered the home on Feb. 13, there was water on the kitchen, dining room and living room floors. The back door was also unlocked, a rear window in the frame was lying on the dining room floor, and shattered light bulbs were across the kitchen floor. The home had trash, a kitchen cabinet drawer had been moved, and there was burnt paper inside a cabinet. Two window screens were missing, but it was unknown whether they were ever on the windows.
Feb. 15
Shady Tree Lane (felony vandalism)
Two residents near the 12100 block of Shady Tree Lane reported Feb. 15 that a Ford Explorer damaged grounds owned by the Forest Grove Home Owners Association.
The first resident said that someone drove the vehicle over a sidewalk between two houses before driving in circles, doing “donuts” in the grassy common area. The damage happened between 7:45 p.m. and about 9:15 p.m.
The second resident has a security camera that records the entrance to the neighborhood, and he also knew of a similar incident with a similar vehicle at the Kroger at Airline Road and U.S. 70. He also said the Ford Explorer was known for driving recklessly at his church.
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