Submitted by Deborah Lavery Powers
Staff Reporter
The following are highlights from some of the police reports on file at the Fernandina Beach Police Beach Department
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Waitin’ on a Cab was wandering down the middle of the street when Police first noticed him. A taxi did pick up Waitin’, just as Waitin’ told Police it would — but dropped him right back off again within 15 minutes. And he promptly fell asleep on one of benches in that downtown area. Police had an almost impossible time waking him up with loud commands — even though he was “breathing with no problems.” But once awake, he sure made up for all that quiet sleeping. He was loud and belligerent, yelling racial slurs, throwing money on the ground and generally “creating a disturbance.” He was arrested for disorderly intoxication.
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Yelling Obscenities had a busy night of it before he ended up in jail. First, he was issued a Trespass Warning at a hotel, then another such warning at a fast food store — and to top off the evening, he harassed four people as he followed them down the street. When Police intervened, he advised that he was on probation for domestic battery. Not good to be on probation — for anything — when you are about to be arrested for Disorderly Conduct.
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Things Gone Missing arrived home one late afternoon to discover that two vacuum cleaners, along with six brake sensors still in their FedEx delivery box, had been stolen from her garage. None of Missing’s apartment complex neighbors heard any noise though the garage door was heavily damaged by Thief — to the point the door will “most likely” have to be replaced.
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Failure to Appear discovered he shoulda’ showed up in Court when expected to be there. He was arrested for not doing so, and was last seen heading off to the Nassau County Jail in a police vehicle.
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Credit Card Victim One was advised by her bank that Fraudulent Somebody #1 had charged $489.06 on her card. The $489.06 was spent at a Jacksonville shop that one reviewer said featured clothes that are “chic, hip, sexy, and very casual.”
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Credit Card Victim Two was advised by his bank that Fraudulent Somebody #2 had charged $108.95 on his card at a drug store. Hmmmm. Betting that Fraudulent #1 had more fun stealing stuff at that chic, hip, sexy shop in Jacksonville than Fraudulent #2 had picking out goodies at a drug store.
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Car-Hopping Spree had himself a jolly ole’ evening — until he was turned in. Post Miranda, Car-Hopping admitted he walked around town for several hours one Sunday evening, pulling on car door handles. If a car was unlocked, he popped inside and “rifled” around “until he found something to steal.” His booty included cameras, sunglasses, a cell phone, prescription drugs, some cash and a GPS. Rightful Owner of the GPS was identified by powering up his instrument. When notified, Rightful said, yes, “he wanted to pursue criminal charges against” Car-Hopping.
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Her Red Neck claimed that His Scratched Face had attacked her “in a rage” and pushed her to the ground and started to choke her. His Scratched Face claimed that Her had arrived on his downtown front porch, yelling and drunk, and “physically attacked” him when he told her to leave. His further claimed that Her had fallen onto some bushes when she started to “run away” after His said he was calling the Police.
Police observed “redness and scratch marks on Her neck.” They further observed “a large scratch and dried blood on His face.” Since theirs was definitely one of those conflicting kind of he said/she said stories, no arrests were made.
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Get Off My Property was “extremely verbal” toward two Officers who arrived at his home to investigate a disturbance. Get Off ordered the officers to “remove” themselves. They did. Their departure was followed by a series of 4 one-right-after-the-other non-emergency 911 calls. The first to speak to the officers’ “supervisor” — which ended up in the officer/supervisor being asked to “remove” themselves from Get Off’s property once again. The second was to say that Getting was filing a “lawsuit against us.” The 3rd and 4th were demands that Officers come to his house and “unlock” his cell phone. The Dispatch officer repeatedly told Get Off My Property not to use 911 for non-emergency purposes — and heard lots of profanities heading his way during the calls. Get Off was eventually arrested for “mis-use of 911.”
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There they were, Victim, his children and friends, sitting on the beach when along comes Ex-Wife’s Boyfriend and, whammo, he strikes Victim in the face. Several times! For no apparent reason. Victim’s friends got Ex’s Boyfriend to stop. And he left. Victim had several minor cuts and abrasions on his face. Ex’s Boyfriend hadn’t been located at the time of this report.
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Criminal Mischief Maker did a “number” on 7 tires and a vinyl above-ground pool one night this week. Police arrived to find water leaking out of “several puncture holes” in the pool, and the sidewalls of 7 tires punctured. The total damage? Over $2000. The victims have an idea of who Criminal Mischief Maker might be.
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Bank Fraud Person managed to transfer $9700 from Good Person’s actual bank account to a new account in Good Person’s name — but not opened by him — at a different bank. Interestingly, small deposit’s had been made into Good Person’s actual bank account during the several days prior to the $9700 transfer — in amounts ranging from 5¢ to 34¢.
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Victim Pusher wasn’t seen by the Officer, at all. Instead, it was “many people” streaming out of a downtown bar all at once that first caught his attention Next came the loud sound of a window breaking. Then it was seeing Victim “crouched down in “ the “completely shattered” window. Fortunately, she only suffered minor injuries. All this needless damage and fright seemed to have occurred because Victim’s New Boyfriend was Victim Pusher’s Ex Boyfriend. And Victim Pusher apparently didn’t like the new arrangement. Owner of broken window thought responsible party needed to pay for replacing the window. The State Attorney’s Office may be obtaining an Arrest Warrant for Victim Pusher!
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Bold Scammer called Young Man’s parents to tell them that Young Man was being held hostage for the $1800 damage he had done to Bold Scammer’s vehicle in an accident. Bold further advised Parents he was a drug dealer and would kill Young Man if Parents didn’t immediately wire money to him. Parents did — but before the money transfer was actually completed — Parents discovered that Young Man was fine, as was Brother. Brother, you say? Yes, Brother. Young Man, at the same time Bold Scammer was trying to squeeze money out of his parents , Bold was also calling Young Man telling him that Brother has been in an accident and needed money.
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Busy Fraudulent Guy(s) opened two credit card accounts — and using the cards, opened “two phones in [the] name” of Victim. Victim only found out about these cards/phones because she saw each listed on a recent Credit Report. No monetary lost was suffered by Victim.
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Mother Knows Best definitively identified her son as being the Thief when Police showed her pictures of his hooded self which had bee taken by surveillance cameras at the scene of a “coin operated amusement game” robbery. Thief had broken into the machine ($900 damage) and removed $160 in quarters. Thief was released to the custody of Mother Knows Best after being booked.
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Supposed Grandson (sounding very much like a “talking fast” Real Grandson) called Granddad and said he had been in an accident and needed $1500 to repair the damages to his car because “his insurance [had] expired.” Granddad wired the money to somebody in Mexico at 0936 and it was verified as being received at 1032. Then Granddad returned home, only to receive another call from Supposed, saying, “Good news, it didn’t cost as much as expected, but I need $1400 more.” Smart Granddad then asked Supposed what his (Granddad’s) middle name was. Supposed got angry, asking what that had to do with “this,” then started “using profanity and hung up.” Granddad reported to Police that he was suspicious from the beginning but simply wasn’t sure that his real Grandson hadn’t been in an accident or wasn’t being held against his will.
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Fraudulent behavior seemed to have been “on the go” here in Fernandina Beach this week. Though few of the victims were oldsters, it is interesting to note that AARP reports this month that “Older Americans are being swindled out of at least $2.9 billion a year.” Makes one wonder how much the now-retiring Boomers will be bilked. Should we be factoring in inflation?
Editor’s Note: After a career in adult education, where writing, course design and development were her “beat”, Deborah now enjoys the world of freelancing, and volunteering. Deborah covers the police beat for the Fernandina Observer writing weekly “Police blotter blasts . . .” We thank Deborah for her many contributions.
June 20, 2013 10:29 p.m.
I suspect (no pun intended) that in the Bank Fraud Person story, the small deposits were account verification techniques often used by investment firms and financial institutions to verify the validity of an account (but not its authenticity). Account owner (or imposter) provides bank and account number in preparation of being able to transfer funds to/from the account. Before any transfers are allowed, these small deposits are sent to verify the account and then the account owner is required to go to the website of the other. institution and say how much the deposits were. Appears the bank opening the account in the Good Person’s name but not by the good person either didn’t follow regulations in verifying the identity of the person opening the account or were fooled by false identification. Sorry for the loss by Good Person but think they have some recourse since it was an unauthorized transaction.