Known offenders responsible for most thefts

The kids are back in school, the leaves are turning in the mountains and the feel of winter is creeping itself into the valley. With the holidays rapidly approaching, let's not forget safety in the warm-fuzzies of the season.

Thieves don't take breaks, observe holidays, care about an old person's retirement or anything else, for that matter. The stranger in the stretch hat and mask is easy to spot, but we want you to be aware that a good majority of the thefts we respond to are by known offenders.

No matter how much we care for people in our lives, we must face reality when people are in the grips of addiction or have a history of theft. Beware. That's not to say that people cannot change, but given the cases we encounter, you are more likely to be a victim of someone very much closer to home. Gone are the days when your medication can be left in the medicine cabinet, your jewelry on a nail fastened to the wall and your spare change dropped in a huge glass bottle on the floor of your bedroom.

If you would like to learn more about how to safeguard your valuables or to assist us in keeping Boulder City as crime-free as possible, keep your eyes open for the announcement for the 2016 Citizens Academy.

Oct. 22. Suspicious: The person under the bed and the one outside are all a result of narcotic hallucinations at 8:49 a.m. in the 1300 block of Georgia Avenue.

DUI: The caller says the vehicle has been driving backward at a high rate of speed and is now high-centered on the curb just in time for a carpool to Henderson Jail at 12:06 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: Beware of those imaginary folks under the bed.

Oct. 23. Suspicious: The caller says that a strange man came to the front door and wanted access to her property to check the nonexistent gas meter at 9:35 a.m. in the 800 block of Dianne Drive.

Vagrant: The department receives multiple calls about the residentially challenged individual "hanging around" at the park at 11:27 a.m. in the 800 block of Adams Boulevard.

Thought for the day: Being homeless is not a crime.

Oct. 24. Suspicious: A caller sees a man kicking windows and he is given a ride to the bus stop after making sure no damage was done at 10:46 a.m. in the 800 block of Buchanan Boulevard.

Drugs: The man smoking dope in the kids' playground is the babysitter and can't understand what the big deal is on his way to the "big house" at 7:18 p.m. in the 1200 block of Nevada Highway.

Thought for the day: You better step back from the herbs, buddy. I think your babysitting days are over.

Oct. 25. Temporary protection order violation: The adverse party in the protection order doesn't understand the no contact in any manner portion of the order at 2:54 p.m. in the 1300 block of Darlene Way.

Thought for the day: In Nevada the protection order applies only to the adverse party, not both sides of the dispute.

Oct. 26. Found property: The owner is very thankful that his new phone was found and turned in at 9:38 a.m. in the area of Bootleg Canyon.

Assist: Officers are able to assist in getting a vehicle open, and the two infants inside are fine at 9:49 a.m. in the 700 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: Please leave a contact phone number inside the back cover of your phone. It could save you a lot of expense.

Oct. 27. DUI: The driver almost makes it past the city limits; however, almost is never enough at 3:13 a.m. in the area of U.S. Highway 93 and Lakeshore Drive.

Theft: The officer quickly realizes the uneventful traffic stop the night before has new meaning when the drive shaft in the back of the subject's SUV is identical to the one the homeowner is now missing at 6:29 p.m. in the 600 block of Avenue K.

Thought for the day: Sometimes the most insignificant calls of the night turn into the break we need to solve a crime.

Oct. 28. Damage: Park workers locate damage done to a trash area and find a bench uprooted and thrown in the pond at 7:36 a.m. in the area of 1900 Buchanan Boulevard.

Suspicious: The caller says someone was trying to come in the front door, and officers find the confused new tenant chose the wrong building at 10:59 p.m. in the 600 block of Avenue A.

Thought for the day: Yet one more reason to keep your doors locked.

Call(s) of the week: Disturbance: The caller says that the only solution that will satisfy him is for his neighbor to turn off his motorcycle and walk it the few blocks to his house. The neighbor has his own suggestion that cannot be printed at 1:22 a.m. on Oct. 27 in the 700 block of Elm Street.

Have a great week.

— Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen's Academy.