The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Police Blotter
PUBLISHED: August 21, 2008
Larceny
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The Milan Police Department received complaints of several minor larcenies the week of July 27. Officers took a report July 31 from an auto shop on Wabash Street reporting that an unknown suspect had attempted to siphon gas out of a vehicle on the grounds near the building.
The vehicle had been parked at the shop July 28 at approximately 5:30 p.m. and was put on the shop's hoist at 4 p.m. July 30 for work. During that time, someone had cut a hole in the fuel filler hose to try and siphon the gas tank, though because the vehicle was in the shop for fuel system repair, the tank was empty.
After hearing of a second incident, the complainant believed the suspect could be targeting trucks and SUVs since their fuel filler hoses have a rubber section that cars do not have, according to a police report. There are no suspects at this time.
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A homeowner residing on County Street informed police July 30 that between 6 p.m. the previous evening and 7:30 that morning, someone had stolen four bikes from a yard. One bike had been stored on the front porch and the other three had been in the back yard. One of the four was a yellow children's bike with a basket on the front and white wheels. Police don't have any suspects.
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Also on July 30, a woman living on South Platt Road reported her purse stolen from her vehicle. She told officers she clearly remembered parking her vehicle in her driveway at 7 p.m. the previous evening, leaving the purse underneath the front passenger seat, and locking the vehicle. At 3:30 a.m., she opened the car and began to leave for work and discovered the purse was missing.
The victim didn't have any suspects for the theft. The vehicle was undamaged and an officer was unable to determine a point of entry into the car.
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A number of building materials were stolen for scrap in a theft occurring between 8 a.m. July 26 and 8 a.m. July 28 at a site on Wabash Street. An officer visited the site and was told by a resident that during the timeframe in question, someone had taken both the gutters and the flashing off of the residence. A metal grate and a 90-degree elbow also had been taken from the rear of the building.
During the police investigation, a length of copper tubing previously attached to a propane tank owned by railroad company Norfolk Southern was also discovered to be stolen by the suspects. A company representative visited the site and confirmed the tubing was the only material taken. There are no suspects at this time.
Possession of Marijuana
At 5:55 p.m. July 28, an officer on patrol spotted a man driving in an SUV turn from West Main Street onto Wabash Street without wearing his seatbelt. The vehicle was stopped in the West Main Street parking lot and the driver provided his license, registration, and proof of insurance.
While talking to the driver and asking him if he was aware of the seatbelt law, the officer noticed the man becoming increasingly nervous and repeatedly looking over his right shoulder into the backseat. The officer asked if the man had any weapons or drugs inside the vehicle, at which point the man said, "I'm not going to lie" and admitted to having just bought 10 grams of marijuana stored in a small lock safe in the back seat.
He also admitted to having a "bong" made out of a pop bottle in a bag in the back seat. The safe, marijuana and bong were confiscated, and the man was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the police station, booked and released.
Retail Fraud
An employee doing an inventory check at a building materials store on West Main Street discovered an empty box of flexible vinyl mender shoved, apparently deliberately, behind some different items on a shelf and reported the incident to police July 28.
A surveillance video viewed by police shows the suspect taking an item off the shelf in question, walking out of range of the camera, then appearing in range again without the item in his hand. In the video, the suspect then walks around the store for a period of time and leaves without purchasing anything.
Neither the original complainant nor any of the store's employees recognize the man. The incident occurred at about noon July 26. The case is closed pending a possible identification of the suspect.
Compiled by freelance writer Jerry Hinnen based on reports filed with the Milan Police Department.
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