The following information was taken from reports from the Pembroke and the Richmond Hill Police departments:
Jan. 6
Theft by taking — RHPD officers were called to Hermitage Drive to investigate a report of house being broken to.
The complainant said she arrived home the night before and found that the detached garage had been burglarized. Her son keeps a studio in the garage, and they discovered that the front door of the garage was slightly up and items missing from inside. The son said an ASUS computer, FL Studio computer program, a Music Creation Suite, an electric guitar and two amplifiers had been taken, with the items having an aggregate value of $1,260. The son had a serial number for only the ASUS computer.
No signs of forced entry were evident to an RHPD officer at the scene, which also had been contaminated prior to the officers’ arrival. The son gave the names of three suspects whom he believed could’ve taken the items.
Jan. 8
Matter of record — A complainant gave a statement at the RHPD concerning alleged extortion from an act on the Internet.
The complainant said he contacted a female through a website called OK Cupid, and the conversation turned into a video chat. The complainant said the female began removing her clothes, so he began doing the same. However, the female stopped about halfway through and threatened him for money, citing that she had recorded everything they were doing and would post it on social media.
The complainant said he attempted to pay but told the female that his credit card had been declined. She gave him until the end of the day to get $300 to her to have the video deleted.
Officers told the complainant that verifying jurisdiction where the alleged crime took place was impossible because it took place on the Internet. Since the complainant was military personnel, he was advised to contact his Judge Advocate General office.
Matter of record — An RHPD officer went to Rice Gate Drive for a report for a possible hit-and-run involving a juvenile.
The complainant said her son was struck by a vehicle on Sterling Creek Drive. While he was skating on his longboard on the street, a vehicle – a black Ford SUV - honked at him, and he moved toward the curb. However, he was knocked to the ground; he wasn’t sure if his backpack was hit by the vehicle’s side-view mirror or if he was pushed off-balance by the wind. He said the vehicle sped off after he fell.
They said they didn’t need medical treatment, but the son had bruises on his right forearm, right shoulder and right upper part of his head.
The son said he didn’t recall seeing the SUV in the neighborhood before and couldn’t describe the driver, although he said a female was behind the wheel.
The officer told them that nothing more could be done without a description of the suspect, the license-plate number or witnesses.
Matter of record — A report of a car on fire at McDonald’s on Highway 17 drew out an RHPD officer to investigate.
At the restaurant, the officer saw a burgundy Oldsmobile with its hood open. The vehicle’s owner said she didn’t need any medical attention. She said she was trying to jump-start her car when the engine compartment burst into flames. The restaurant’s manager provided a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
No cause of the fire was immediately available; the officer reported no signs of criminal activity.
Jan. 9
Matter of record — An RHPD officer was alerted to an individual at Memorial Hospital who had an accidental gunshot wound in his hand.
The victim said he and his father had gone shooting that day and decided to clean their guns when they got home to Wildwood Avenue. He was showing his father how to clean the guns, but forgot to eject a round from the chamber of his father’s pistol. When he began breaking down the pistol, he pulled the trigger with his right hand, sending the bullet through the edge of his palm under his pinky. The bullet appeared to have gone through the meaty part of the hand and missed the bones and tendons.
The father corroborated the son’s story. No other injuries were reported from the incident.
Jan. 10
Burglary — An RHPD officer went to Verizon Wireless on Exchange Street to investigate an alarm.
The officer arrived and saw the front door was cracked in the lower left, with a large paving stone next to the door. It didn’t appear entry was made into the store.
There were tread marks on the east side of the building that went behind the nearby Zaxby’s and to Exchange Street. From there, they appeared to lead west on Highway 144 from Exchange Street.
The store’s key holder arrived but was unable to access surveillance video; he said he would email the video.
Jan. 12
Criminal trespass — PPD responded to a report of a person in a dumpster at the Inns of Pembroke on Railroad Street.
Upon arrival, a PPD officer found a male inside a commercial dumpster behind the motel. The male claimed he was trying to retrieve a hitch for his truck that was in the motel room from which he was removed by the motel’s owner.
The owner said the male was causing problems and wanted him removed and banned from the premises. The male received a criminal-trespass notice and informed that he would be subject to arrest if he returned to the site.