Last week, Clayton Police Department (CPD) officers were kept busy, responding to a diverse range of incidents throughout the community, as documented in their Weekly Police Incident Report for September 1 through September 7. Officers handled everything from traffic accidents to vehicle break-ins and unexpected discoveries of firearms in public spaces.
A traffic stop on the ramp to Forest Park Parkway from S. Brentwood Blvd. escalated when a CPD patrol vehicle was struck by an SUV, though no injuries were reported. The SUV driver attempted to swerve but was unable to avoid the collision, the officer’s account stated. Despite the impact, the incident ended without harm to those involved.
On Wellington Way, a resident’s observation led to the discovery of a series of car break-ins. Multiple vehicles were ransacked, with items such as laptops stolen and later, unexpectedly, returned, as reported on the City of Clayton's website.
The thefts included a truck left unlocked, where the victim reported a missing laptop that was later found on a neighbor's porch, along with a wallet discarded on the street. Residents in the 6300 block of Alamo also reported similar incidents, including a vehicle break-in that left a rear driver’s side window shattered. On Shaw Park Dr., a woman’s vehicle sustained significant damage after a pickup truck suddenly veered into her lane. “Thankfully, no one was injured,” was the repeated note of relief in each of the reports shared by the City of Clayton.
But it wasn't all traffic and theft for CPD officers. A loaded semi-automatic pistol was discovered inside a purse left on a chair at Straub's—an incident that raises concerns about firearm safety in public spaces. In a bizarre situation, the purse was "seized for safekeeping," as reported in the City of Clayton's press release. A CPD parking enforcement Jeep, operating at a slow crawl "to allow his vehicle's license plate reader system to read the registrations," was also involved in a fender bender, again with no injuries reported.
Friday proved eventful with the response to a fire at the Ceylon apartments, caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette butt, and the peculiar vandalism involving printer paper glued to light posts outside the CPD. Adding to the week's oddities, an Uber driver reported the theft of her purse by a customer she had driven to 1 N. Central, again highlighting an unpredictable element in day-to-day urban comings and goings. A resident reported bank account fraud, with someone altering and creating fake checks, only adding to the area's wave of criminal activities.
The Clayton Police Department asks that anyone with information related to these incidents contact them at (314) 645-3000, as investigations continue.
