Police Beat: June 25, 2009

Friday, June 12

• Berthoud Police responded to an early morning silent alarm at a local business on the 500 block of Mountain Avenue and found a burglary in progress. The officer notified dispatch and called the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office for backup, then proceeded after the intruder. When the unidentified male suspect became aware of the officer’s presence he fled the scene running southbound on foot. A chase ensued but the suspect ultimately escaped with approximately $200 in stolen cash. The suspect left behind a 24-inch Stanley wrecking bar which police have appropriated as evidence pending further investigation. The case remains open.  
• Dispatch responded to a report of criminal mischief in the mid-afternoon. Upon arrival police discovered a shattered rear window of a yellow flatbed truck in a parking lot near First Street. The owner of the vehicle found a large ball-bearing type object possibly responsible for the breaking the window. There were no witnesses or any other physical evidence.   
• A small blue Next brand bicycle was found abandoned behind Town Hall about a week ago. The bike has been logged as found property at the police station. The owner has not yet claimed the property.
• A call was placed to the BPD late in the night concerning white cows roaming loose in the vicinity of S. County Road 17. Police determined that the owner of the cattle has since put up a fence for grazing and all of the livestock have been retained inside the enclosure.
• A female Berthoud resident in the 600 block of Pyramid Peak Street called with concerns of suspicious behavior occurring late in the night. The woman informed police that an unknown person was ringing her doorbell numerous times. She told the police she was afraid to look out the window or check the door because she was home alone. The woman requested an officer’s assistance to survey the area.  

Saturday, June 13

• An incident of vandalism in the 100 block of east Michigan Avenue was reported in the early morning. The caller found highly profane messages written on their house and porch in a chalky substance. The substance appeared to be stucco and was washed off with a hose. The vandalism was assumed to be committed by unidentified juveniles targeting the wrong house. 
• Dispatch received an early morning call from the 800 block of Longview Avenue concerned a commotion between a man and a woman in their front yard. The disturbance was reportedly physical and verbal. Police responded to the incident.
• A bat was found in the front yard of a Berthoud resident in the 300 block of Turner Avenue. The animal appeared lethargic with a possible broken wing. The caller also informed animal control and was referred to the police department. The incident was transferred to the Larimer Humane Society wildkind department.
• A large raccoon was reported in the alley of the 800 block of Sixth Street. The anonymous female caller was worried about kids getting to close to the animal. The raccoon was gone upon arrival.
• Dispatch received a call regarding vandalism on Berthoud Elementary school grounds. Trash had been strewn around and the swings had been tied up. Similar events occurred the previous week and the complainant was advised by an officer to contact the police department if they saw this vandalism again.
• A noise complaint was received by BPD concerning a group of kids who were reportedly drinking and  skateboarding in the vicinity of the 1200 block of Aspen Drive. The complainant called backed to advise the police that the juveniles had gone inside. The scene was quiet when police arrived.
• BPD responded to a noise complaint in the vicinity of the 800 block of Eighth Street about neighbors who had been drinking and making a ruckus. A verbal warning was issued by the responding officer.

Sunday, June 14

• An anonymous caller reported two “scary” and aggressive dogs, a black lab and a tan mutt, barking. The dogs were also chasing people and other dogs as they walked by. The owners of the animals were not home when police called to look into the incident. A summons will be issued to the dog’s owner.
• In the evening a noise complaint was reported regarding several young people in cars playing their stereos very loudly on the west side of Hays Market parking lot. A verbal warning was issued.
• Dispatch responded to a report of a possible burglary in progress in the 900 block of Mountain Avenue. The caller reported two males with a black truck trying to enter both the front and exit doors of a local business late at night. The report was a false alarm as the truck belonged to the licensed cleaning crew cleaning the business location.

Monday, June 15

• A walk-in complainant filled a report for criminal mischief, occurring in the 200 Block of East Colorado Ave, regarding a taillight broken with a rock.
• Police responded to an incident of juveniles setting off fireworks in a field near the 800 Block of Welch Avenue. Authorities spotted the suspect juveniles near Tenth Street but lost sight of them when they headed eastbound.   
• Suspicious behavior was reported close to midnight in the 3000 Block of Megan Way.  The female caller reported seeing a tall, dark-haired male intruder in her garage when she went in to close an open door. The suspect ran out and was gone when the police arrived. Further patrols have been requested to monitor trespassing.  

Tuesday, June 16

• A female complainant reported 11 vehicles in the 1000 block of Seventh Ct. that “have not been moved in the twenty years that she has lived there.” She feels the situation is getting worse and would like something done about the problem. Written warnings have been issued.
• Dispatch was notified about a Blackberry phone found at the Community Center. The caller told the police that someone repeatedly attempted to call the device and thinks it was possibly the owner. The caller was unsure how to answer the phone. The phone was ultimately returned to the owner.    
• A Berthoud woman reported her purse and headset stolen out of her vehicle parked near the 500 Block of South Ninth Street. The complainant said the incident occurred sometime during the previous evening.
• A large black lab was spotted running around chasing kids in the 100 Block of Common Drive. The dog also chased a cat up a tree. The caller reported that the dog has tags but is not friendly enough to approach in order to check them. The complaint lost sight of the dog when it ran off towards Welch Avenue.
• A young male was playing with friends in an alley near the 700 Block of Eighth Street were he proceeded to throw and break a glass bottle. The juvenile male agreed to clean up the glass with a warning about littering. The police have contacted the young man’s mother.    
• A dog was reportedly barking for hours in a back yard of a home in the 100 Block of Welch Avenue. No one was home when police arrived a written warning was left on the front door.

Wednesday, June 17 

• Dispatch received multiple complaints in the early morning concerning a verbal and possible physical disturbance between a male and female in the 900 Block of Seventh Street. All complaints concurred that suspects sounded intoxicated or on drugs. Larimer County Sheriff’s Office sent a deputy to assist Berthoud Police. 
• Berthoud police responded to a death investigation in the 200 Block of Second Street. The cause of death was unknown and no suspicious circumstances were determined. The coroner was contacted and a report will follow further investigation.     
• A man reported damage done to his fencing by local juveniles in the 100 Block of East Iowa Avenue. Police will follow up with an account of the vandalism.
• Police responded to a late night verbal disturbance near the Third Street and Bunyan Avenue. The caller heard a man yelling loudly at a woman while he was walking by their house.  

Thursday, June 18

• A Postal Carrier reported signs that had been ripped down from the side of a business in the 900 Block of Mountain Avenue. The callers believed that loitering “skater kids” were responsible for the vandalism.
• An anonymous male caller complained about dogs barking in the 500 Block of Mayo Court. He said that this is the “same dogs, same issues always reports, the same as every other summer.” The owners were not home but the police left notice.
• A Berthoud residence in the 500 block of South Ninth Street called in the evening to report a neighbor’s broken electric fence. They were uncertain if the neighbor was home and they noticed cows getting out and heading towards County Road 17.    
• A verbal warning was given to a group of juveniles loitering in the parking lot at Hays Market.
• A caller reported harsh threats received from her daughter’s boyfriend. The caller was afraid that the boyfriend was en route to their house in the 500 Block of Redwood Circle in a white pickup truck. Police advised the boyfriend to leave and the girlfriend to pursue a restraining order if he keeps threatening her.  

Friday, June 19

• A verbal warning for curfew was given to a young male driving in the vicinity of Third Street and Welch Avenue. The boy claimed to be dropping off a female friend around at approximately 2 a.m.
• A truck with about four of five unidentified people was reported fleeing the 500 Block of Redwood Circle were they had been “tp’ing” the complaintant’s house. Police contact was requested.   
• Police responded to reports of a dog barking all day in the 600 Block of 8th Street. The dogs constantly bark at a neighbor working in their backyard.
• Three stray dogs were sighted running around Pioneer Park. Two of the dogs were black labs. A gate was left open and the dogs were put back in their own yard. 
• Juveniles were seen in the baseball field trying to hit the ball over the fence and the caller was concerned that they would cause damage to surrounding homes. An officer handled the situation.

Saturday, June 20 

• Police responded to an incident of criminal mischief. A caller in the 300 Block of East Iowa Avenue reported all the tires of two vehicles (located inside a garage) slashed. The police are looking into the incident. 
• A longhaired white cat with a collar was seen near Second Street and Welch Avenue. There was a stray dog in the area and the cat appeared bloody. The caller tried to catch the cat but it ran off.
• A Berthoud man found a small dog, possibly a terrier in the 800 Block of Eighth Street. The animal appeared to be in good health but escaped from the reporting party.
• A woman was driving near Spartan Avenue and South Sixth Street when she hit a man riding his bike across the street. There was no apparent damage to the bike or further injury to either party involved.
• Police gave a verbal warning to people lighting off fireworks in the 1000 Block of Third Street.
• A man driving in the 600 Block of Welch Avenue was stopped by police at 1a.m. for a sobriety test. The man did not pass and was given a DUI. 
• A caller reported two very loud banging noises very late at night in the vicinity of Sioux Drive and Tenth Street. The caller was not sure if the sounds were fireworks. The area was quiet when police arrived.

Sunday, June 21

• Police reported to a verbal disturbance between a man and women in the 500 Block of First Street. The witnesses would not cooperate. The police were on the lookout for the involved male party.
• A white longhaired cat was spotted again in the proximity of Second Street and Welch Avenue. The cat was reportedly in a nearby tree, still looking possibly injured. The Humane Society was notified.
• A very friendly, blue heeler mix was found in the 400 Block of Iowa Avenue. The dog had a collar but no tags. A summons was issued. 

Monday, June 22

• Police saw two males get into a blue vehicle that was parked on the street near Ivy Stockwell Elementary School. One of the males entered the vehicle through an open window. The authorities were unable to locate the suspects.
• Two unknown juvenile boys were seen in front of a Berthoud residence in the 1000 Block of Sixth Street carrying a gun. The boys were pointing the gun through the fence. The weapon was possibly a BB gun. Police and nearby residents are on the lookout.