The Clayton Police Department (CPD) has been busy this past week as they responded to 519 calls for service, including a range of incidents from felonious flights to property damages. In the early hours of Monday, officers engaged in a car chase after attempting to stop a vehicle that ultimately fled and was entered as wanted for Felony Fleeing. This stolen car was later found abandoned, according to a report by the CPD.
Property crimes appeared to rise with several vehicles broken into. One unfortunate vehicle was reported to have been damaged at the Hampton Inn garage, and another was involved in a hit-and-run on I-170. Witnesses and footage are being sought earnestly to assist these ongoing investigations. Separately, a vicious act of vandalism was also perpetrated on Tuesday morning, where three vehicles were torched and antisemitic graffiti sullied the Westmoreland Ave., now being investigated as a targeted hate crime.
The Clayton Police Department also noted an uptick in traffic-related offenses. For instance, on Tuesday evening, a pedestrian was struck by a rideshare vehicle that inadvertently moved when the driver adjusted the seat. Wednesday brought a disturbance at the library, where a woman, later arrested, hurled a ban notification letter to the ground. Meanwhile, a Thursday night traffic stop revealed a driver with active domestic assault warrants. And early on Friday morning, a report of suspicious activity prompted the discovery of a vehicle break-in within the Moorlands Neighborhood.
A disturbing trend was further unveiled with several instances of theft and vandalism being reported. A local resident fell victim twice, losing two Yeti coolers to theft and having her property vandalized. Aggravatingly, a string of empty Amazon packages discarded in Kingsbury hints at potential package theft. Surveillance footage points to an unknown white SUV as the possible culprit.
Vehicle collisions rounded out the list of incidents, ranging from a woman hitting a parked car to a man crashing into a median on Forest Park Parkway and sustaining injuries. The CPD urges anyone with information about these cases to come forward as they continue to ensure community safety. Interested parties can reach the CPD directly or submit tips through St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers, where anonymity is guaranteed and rewards are possible, as stated in the official Clayton Police Department news release.
