Officers responded to a report of a third-grader with a gun at Mound Park and burglars injure a dog during a break-in. We hit all of the highlights of the Portsmouth Police Chief’s Daily Briefing.
Crowd With A Rope?
Police responded to an alarming complaint at 1:23 am, a caller reported four people with a rope attempting to break into an apartment.
When police investigated further, neighbors said they hadn’t witnessed anything unusual. The caller finally admitted that there had been no break-in attempt. She had become frightened after three homeless people approached her earlier.
Hey! That’s My Stuff
- Catalytic converter thieves hit the Holiday Inn again at 6 am. This time stealing a part from a ford truck.
- Police answered a call from the Dollar General on Harding Avenue at 9:18 pm for a report of a shoplifter. An employee told police a man she recognized came into the store and stuffed items into his jacket. She said the store’s security cameras caught it all on video. The man has been previously barred from the store. Police took information for a report.
Parking Crackdown
- Officers issued three parking citations for violating the 72-hour parking rule in the 1600 block of 6th Street just after 7 am. They arranged for all three vehicles to be towed.
- At 7:22 am, they moved on to 5th Street and towed a silver car they said blocked access to the alley.
- An officer tagged a vehicle as junk at 10:35 am on Mabert Road. Police will check back later to see if the owner moves it.
- At 11:40 am, an officer spotted an SUV with no visible tags. PPD cited the vehicle for parking with no registration and arranged to have the vehicle towed.
- Five minutes later police checked in on a junk motor vehicle on Court Street and arranged to have it towed.
- Police also cited a vehicle for parking the wrong way on Kent Street and tagged a pickup with a flat tire at Grant and McConnell.
Suspicious Behavior
- Police responded to a report of a man passed out in a vehicle facing the wrong way on Summit Street at 10:16 am. Police said he was asleep. They woke him up and sent him on his way.
- At 1 pm, a man told police he was threatened by two women at Kroger and was afraid to leave the store. Officers stood by while he walked home.
Public Nuisance
- Police got busy posting nuisance letters on several properties around town. They hit 1914 Hight Street at 11 am, 1731 Logan Street at 11:10 am, and 1711 Logan at 11:13 am.
- At 11:34, they put up a nuisance letter at 1901 Robinson Avenue. Then it was back to Logan Street, where an officer checked 1727 and took pictures.
Lost and Found
A caller reported a backpack and contents strewn around some garbage cans on 21st Street. Police returned the items to the owner.
Under the Influence
- A man called the police to Speedway at 5:19 pm to help a friend he believed was on drugs. Officers and an ambulance responded to the scene. Police said the man was combative and were unsure if the issues were related to drugs or mental health. Police impounded contraband and an ambulance took the man to the hospital.
- PPD responded to an overdose report on 5th Street at 6:41 pm. The caller reported the man was unresponsive and not breathing. When help arrived, the man refused medical attention.
- Officers returned to the Speedway at 9:33 pm for a report of a possibly high man acting strangely. The suspect has frequent contact with officers. Police could not locate him.
Third-Grader With A Gun At Mound Park?
A worried woman called the police at 6:44 pm from Mound Park. She told officers a little girl came up to her and said a 12-year-old boy had a gun and was getting ready to fight someone.
When officers arrived on the scene, children told them that another child waved around a BB gun and left the area. They said the boy with the BB gun was a third-grader attempting to act tough at the park.
Police could not locate the child.
Burglars Injure Dog
A Grant Street resident called the police at 8 pm to report a break-in at his garage. He said the people who broke in injured his dog with a rake.
Police took information for a report.
Fake Tags and Burglary Tools
Officers impounded a suspicious vehicle at 5th and Court Street just before 11 pm. The vehicle had fake tags and the officer also discovered something interesting.
The driver had several battery-powered tools frequently used to steal car parts. The officer observed a saw, a grinder, and a drill. Police took pictures of the driver and the items. They cited the driver for fictitious tags.
