Unprescribed use of medications illegal

Doctors seem to be more and more likely to prescribe a pill for anything that might be amiss these days, and that adds up to loads of half or unused bottles of pills that are difficult to dispose.

This stockpile of medication is what the bad guys are after, much of the time, when they enter a home to commit a burglary. A television or compact disc player will bring them a minimal amount of return; however, each one of those prescription pills carries a hefty payday.

Another variation on the crimes related to prescription drugs is the bogus reporting of a loss or theft of controlled substances, requiring an unscheduled refill or replacement. Although it is possible that a person can become a victim of a crime at any time, it is also clear that there are those that profit from this practice. The sale (or trade, barter, gifting) of one person’s prescribed medication to the possession of another is a crime. This is, pure and simple, drug dealing. It is a felony, it is dangerous and it is a growing crime.

The Boulder City Police Department provides its citizens a safe and convenient drop box in the lobby of the station at 1005 Arizona St. to dispose of any old or unneeded medications.

Please feel free to bring them down for a safe-secure location for disposal. We accept everything with the exception of syringes; those will need a “sharps container,” which can be purchased at any medical supply store.

Sept. 15 Suspicious: The caller states there are people in the vacant unit below him and he believes they are vagrants at 12:16 a.m. in the 1500 block of Foothill Drive.

Welfare check: Officers receive a request to check on an elderly woman’s condition after her grandson cannot reach her for two days at 11 a.m. in the 1400 block of Sorrel Road.

Thought for the day: Grandma comes to the department to thank officers for their concern.

Sept. 16. Accident: The caller states there is a vehicle abandoned near the dump that appears to have been in an accident at 1:29 a.m. in the 2500 block of Utah Street.

Theft: The caller goes to the library and comes out to find the bicycle ridden there missing at 5:05 p.m. in the 700 block of Adams Boulevard.

Thought for the day: Officers locate the stolen wheels in record time.

Sept. 17. Suspicious: The caller is concerned about a juvenile who appears to be asleep sitting on the curb at 7:12 a.m. in the area of Utah Street and Adams Boulevard.

Domestic: The siblings resort to fists when raised voices don’t work at 10:51 p.m. in the 500 block of Seventh Street.

Thought for the day: Alcohol is a depressant and is not acceptable for kids of any age.

Sept. 18. Vagrant: The caller is reporting squatters in a vacant property at 1:24 p.m. in the 700 block of Wyoming Street.

911: The map shows the general location of the fight going on between a man and woman and the officers have no trouble finding the source at 4:16 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: Keep an eye on those vacant properties near your residence. They make an attractive target for those with too much time on their hands.

Sept. 19. Burglary: A local business begins the day by finding the door has been pried open and the safe is missing at 6:23 a.m. in the 1000 block of Elm Street.

Theft: The caller reports two contractors were inside the house for repair work and now several prescriptions are missing at 11:45 a.m. in the 500 block of Lake Huron Lane.

Thought for the day: Make sure you lock up valuables including medication before having visitors in your home.

Sept. 20. Family disturbance: Officers are dispatched to a family dispute that involves allegations of misconduct and abuse at 7:19 a.m. in the 800 block of Avenue I.

Disturbance: The caller believes the employee of a local establishment must be on drugs and wants him to leave the premises at 9:54 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: It could actually be your behavior that causes someone to not want you around. Just a thought.

Sept. 21. Animal: The caller and the neighbors are fed up with the continuous barking from a dog that appears to be left alone all night at 4:02 p.m. in the 600 block of California Avenue.

Threats: The person in the lobby is reporting threats made via text message and the warning is made via voicemail by the officer at 2:04 p.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.

Thought for the day: It’s hard to deny something when you put it in writing. Ah, signs of the times.

Call of the week: Medical: The caller wants to report that her husband fell asleep during the sermon and won’t wake up. Before medical personnel could respond the subject woke up and was quite surprised at all the fuss at 11:05 a.m. Sept. 18 in the 200 block of Wyoming Street.

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