The Clayton Police Department had a busy week handling 531 calls from September 29 through October 5, as reported on their official website. These incidents ranged from a case of property damage, where the suspect was caught on film, to multiple traffic-related offenses that involved cases of driving under the influence and even a hit-and-run accusation.
One business owner in the central business district found some unpleasant surprises come Monday. After a peaceful weekend, they were greeted by a damaged window that seemed to have involved a fire ladder and a mischievous hand. The suspect, a man no stranger to the local law enforcement and no stranger to brushes with the law in that very building, was identified via surveillance footage, seen with a bicycle believed to have been stolen previously from the same district. The CPD is currently working to confirm if this man did, indeed, shatter the window, a statement obtained by the Clayton Police Department's report detailed.
Meanwhile, Clayton streets became the stage for a handful of vehicular incidents. A routine traffic stop late Tuesday led to one man's arrest for his first DWI. Notably, early Friday, an unfortunate driver learned that honesty isn’t always the best policy when the other party fled after a hit-and-run. She managed to gather enough information before the other driver disappeared again. By early Sunday, the suspect was tracked down but disputed the claims, and the case remains under investigation. Elsewhere, the scene was grimmer when a pedestrian was struck, with witnesses challenging the driver's account, as reported by the Clayton Police Department's weekly incident report.
Traffic stops seem to have been especially revelatory, as another driver was busted for his second DWI early Friday. More alarming however, was a case of a handgun, carelessly left in an unlocked SUV outside IHOP, which came back as stolen. The individual returned for his vehicle and was promptly arrested for possession of the stolen firearm, which will to be referred to as the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office.
Perhaps most concerning was an encounter that began with a routine check of an oddly stationed Hyundai, proven to be misregistered. What unfolded next was straight out of a crime drama, as the passenger turned out to have a stolen handgun part in her purse – a discovery made only after she disclosed to be carrying the weapon. She is facing charges of receiving stolen property.
The CPD urges anyone with information on these or other ongoing investigations to reach out at (314) 645-3000.
