I want to accentuate ‘the dispatcher’s’ take on some victim faux pas that we hear all too often.
“Why did you leave your keys in the car, Mrs. Jones?”
“Why? Because this is Boulder City, young lady and ‘that’ kind of thing never happens around here.”
Oh, really? And you say that you left the garage door opener in there, too, along with your purse and computer?
Now the car, the purse, the computer, and half your furniture is missing? Who would have guessed?
Most crime is committed because of opportunity.
If you leave your car running with your baby inside just to sprint into the house to grab your swimming bag, are you really willing to gamble that your most precious of possessions is going to be there when you sprint back?
I know most of you are reading this and saying, ‘people aren’t really that goofy.’ You would be surprised.
Most of us have had those really dumb moments when the angel of protection has been out to lunch and we’ve been left looking and feeling really silly. Opportunity knocks several times a day in this town, and it takes just a moment or two of diligence for us to prevent it from happening.
Don’t make it easy for the bad guys.
July 30. Wanted: A repo driver calls for assistance after the owner of a car he is picking up is getting angry. Oops. Forgot about those pesky little warrants at 1:57 p.m. in the 1500 block of Nevada Highway.
Suspicious: A caller finds items moved around on her porch and door unlocked. She believes the ‘friend’ she recently met has been leaving bugs on the front porch and may be responsible at 7:51 p.m. in the 1600 block of New Mexico Street.
Suspicious: Acaller reports red paint dumped all over the front door and believes it’s a neighbor. The small spot of blood on the driveway is not suspicious to the officer at 7:56 p.m. in the 1500 block of Foothill Drive.
Thought for the day: When you don’t make your payments, you can be angry, but it should be self-directed.
July 31. Burglary: A man returns home to get his cellphone and finds that someone has accessed his side door and tried to make off with his dolly and dryer at 7:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Endora Way.
See Person: A woman in the lobby insisting we immediately break into the animal shelter and get her cat at 4:55 p.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.
Suspicious: A caller reports people fighting and a possible gunshot, but has left the location to follow a car that looks interesting at 8:15 p.m. in the 1500 block of Foothill Drive.
Thought for the day: Times are hard when people try to steal laundry equipment.
Aug. 1. Disorderly: An intoxicated man asks to be dropped off at a house where no one knows him at 1:42 a.m. in the 700 block of Nevada Way.
Animal: An officer is out on ‘poo patrol’ at 10:40 a.m. in the middle of the sidewalk at Hotel Plaza.
Traffic: A driver explains all the suspicious movements with an incorrectly hand-drawn map, directing him to the pet cemetery at 11:20 p.m. in the 1900 block of Buchanan Boulevard.
Thought for the day: Those pesky horses just haven’t learned to miss the sidewalk.
Aug. 2. Assist: A caller says four rough-looking characters on motorcycles are itching for a fight with her and four motel keys at 12:39 a.m. in the 100 block of Ville Drive.
Aircraft: Fire and Rescue units on standby as a small plane that was having problems lands as the pilot ‘skips’ it in safely at 12:14 p.m. in the area U.S. 95 and mile marker 48.
Civil: A caller states she has been charged for a room but the clerk won’t give her any paperwork. Now she is sitting in her car at 2:49 a.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.
Thought for the day: Excuse me, Mr. Pilot. I believe I need to stop and get my heart out of my throat.
Aug. 3. See Person: A caller wants to meet and discuss his roommate trying to poison his dog at 5:36 a.m. in the 900 block of Utah Street.
Assist Other: The Henderson Police Department has a signal on a stolen vehicle in our jurisdiction. They arrive to take possession at 9:43 a.m. in the 600 block of Avenue A.
Battery: A frantic person rings the bell and requests to be allowed inside as a road-rage driver who followed parks in the middle of the street, attacks an officer, and remains combative at 9:19 p.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.
Thought for the day: Just another manic Monday.
Aug. 4. Suspicious: Report of an intoxicated-looking person sitting in the roadway. I guess falling off the kids’ scooter will make you look that way at 10:54 a.m. in the area of U.S. 93 and Veterans Memorial Drive.
Trespass: Clerk doesn’t know if it is a man or a woman, but wants the person wearing a turban and causing a disturbance gone at 12:05 p.m. in the 1600 block of Nevada Highway.
Joining forces traffic stop: One person with warrants, one with an instructional permit, and one towed vehicle at 2:43 p.m. in the 1100 block of Sunset Road.
Thought for the day: Funny how those thoughts of ‘I used to ride these as a kid,’ can translate into a trip to the hospital.
Aug. 5. Drunk: An intoxicated man tries to hitch a ride to his motel, though there is not much traffic. We arrive and give him a ride to the appropriate abode at 2:42 a.m. in the 1300 block of Nevada Highway.
Suspicious: A report of a naked woman following them and now sitting in the bushes at 3:12 p.m. in the 1000 block of Yucca Street.
T.P.O. Violation: A man contacting the protected party while the officer is there taking his report at 3:35 p.m. in the 1300 block of Wyoming Street.
Thought for the day: When the love is gone … A country song lyric can transform into a Gross Misdemeanor.
Call(s) of the Week: Welfare Check: A caller would like us to check the woman sleeping on the bench. However, the man in female clothing sits up and seems to have no pants on. Officers will be giving the man, who only goes by the name ‘Devine,’ a ride after he adjusts his skirt at 7:31 p.m. in the area of Gingerwood Drive and Nevada Highway.
Have a great week.
Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.