May 13, 2002

by Ellen Schwartz-Madison Police Department

The fleecing of Madisonians and besmirching of MSCR's good name.

Several individuals from throughout the City, have reported being the
victims of a softball player pool scam.  An individual named Bill,
alleging to represent Madison School Community Recreation, has somehow
gotten his hands on a list of individuals who had registered with MSCR
to be put on a list of people interested in joining a summer softball
team.  The man met the interested people at public places, gave them
convincing information, enrollment forms, etc and collected between $18
and $24 per person, gave them the time and place to show up to meet
their coach and team.  Detective Michelle Riesterer is lead detective on
these incidents.  If you are contacted by anyone purporting to represent
MSCR, call their office to verify the authenticity of their claim.    

Property damage reports. 

Reports of smashed and/or shot out car windows have been reported in
the Schroeder Rd., Tree Lane (7000-7500 blks), Grand Canyon, Hammersley
Rd. and Ellis Potter Ct areas.  At least one of those cases involved
damage to a Streets Dept. vehicle on Forward Drive.  Two additional cars
were reported damaged on Science Drive, and a Madison Metro driver
reported having a window cracked on a city bus by rocks thrown by two
youth in the Gammon Rd and Watts area. 

Reports of other senseless damage include several mailboxes being
damaged in the New Washburn Way area, and windows of residences being
damaged by projectiles in the Watts Rd., Hill Crest, Radcliffe Dr. and
O'Dell St. areas.  One house on Waite Lane also reported egg residue on
one of their broken windows. 

Residential burglaries.

 A resident on Loon Lane reported a window was
damaged to gain entry to the home.  A home in the 3700 blk of Country
Grove Rd. reported an attempted break in.  In an apartment complex in
the Watts and High Point Rd. area, a resident reported a break in to his
storage locker with checks taken.  The most interesting however is the
reported breakin through the window of an apartment in the Meadowood
Area, where the suspect did not apparently take anything, but left
behind some large size T-shirts and 6 rocks of cocaine base which were
located in the refrigerator.

If you keep the PIN for your ATM or debit card in the same wallet as
the card - please learn for one woman's costly mistake.  A woman
reported that she left her wallet at the check out of an Odana Rd. area
supermarket.  When she returned quite some time later to retrieve it,
she found her ATM card missing.  She kept her PIN number in the wallet
also.   The person who took her card used it to withdraw a large amount
of money from her account.  The investigation into this crime is
ongoing. 

Speaking of costly losses which could have easily been avoided.  A
Madison woman left her unlocked van running with the window open, in the
lot of Prairie Towne Center, while she went to use the pay phone.  She
turned around to see her van being driven away with two men in it.  She
last saw it heading eastbound on the beltline.  It was located in an
apartment complex lot in the Town of Madison the next day.  It is
unknown if the thieves took the keys with them when they parked it.
With summer approaching, too often people are tempted to leave their
vehicle running with the air conditioning going, especially if they
leave an animal in the car.  More than one stolen auto has carried the
additional notation "family pet was on board".

There was nothing ordinary about this retail theft.  Officers Lester
Moore and Dan McFarlane responded to a beltline area supermarket to a
report of the store personnel detaining two adults who had attempted to
steal merchandise from the store.  When they arrived, they found the
suspects with a less than credible explanation for why they were
stealing large numbers of lithium batteries, over the counter allergy
medication, and caustic substances.  The story changed when the officers
located a vehicle in the parking lot that they were able to connect to
the out of state couple.  Evidence located in the vehicle verified the
final story.  All of the items they had taken, combined with the items
already acquired at other locations were intended for use in
constructing a meth lab.  The male suspect was found to have a lengthy
criminal history in Iowa for manufacture and distribution of controlled
substances.  While the woman had yet to amass such a long criminal
history, the story of her life as it unfolded during the investigation
appears to be on a collision course with drug fueled disaster.

Kids and guns. 

Monday the 13th, citizens reported seeing a vehicle traveling in the
area of Mineral Point Rd. and Commerce Dr. with several passengers, one
of which was brandishing a silver colored handgun.  Detectives Doheny
and Rickey spotted the vehicle near Menards, and with the assistance of
Sgt. Jim Acre and Police Officers Erv Marks, Tara Dommershausen and Tom
Kiesow effected a stop and contact with the four teenaged occupants.  A
pellet gun, identical in appearance to a real handgun was located in the
vehicle and one of the 17 year old passengers admitted to shooting at
signs with it.  The young man who claimed responsibility was
appropriately charged.  The outcome could have been so different, and
potentially tragic.  A great response by some very professional cops.

Last week Officers responded to an apartment complex near Elver Park to
the report of a pizza delivery person having been shot at.  An
investigation by Officers Melanie Hampton and Lori Beth Chalecki
determined that two area youths had fired a pellet gun at the delivery
guy.  No one was injured, and the weapon has not been recovered. The
investigation is continuing.

The same apartment complex has been the site of several visits by the
police in the last few weeks.  Reports of fights, often times with
impact and edged weapons being brandished.  Most of the conflict
involves a relatively small group of individuals, mostly teenaged girls
and adult women getting into verbal altercations which escalate into
threats, and too often physical violence prior to arrival of police.
Although cooperation with the criminal investigations is minimal, we
continue to work with residents, complex management, school officials
and social services to reduce the tension,  positively identify the
active participants and hold them accountable  for their criminal acts.

Rage

Rage is an ugly thing.  Lets learn to keep our tempers in check and not
let the little things consume us.
A motorist on University Ave. honked at a friend he saw walking on the
sidewalk one afternoon.  When he then stopped in traffic seconds later,
a man on a bicycle who apparently thought the motorist had been honking
at him, rode up to the man's car window and started pounding on it,
yelling "you didn't have to honk at me."  The bicyclist continued to
pound on the window until it shattered, then rode off, and disappeared
between buildings in the campus area.  The cyclist was described only as
a white male wearing a black helmet with a briefcase strapped to the
bike. 

Then there was the two adult men (41 & 36) playing tennis at a Regent
St. park, who got into a confrontation with a mother who was playing
tennis with her children on an adjoining court.  One of the men, angered
because the children's ball had landed in the court the men were playing
on, asked the woman to move to a different court.  She suggested the men
move instead.  When she declined, the man accused her of being rude, and
demanded she control her children.  During the discussion on civility
that followed, the man engaged in explicit profanity.  The woman and her
children left the area and called the police.  No threats or violence
were involved and both sides were contacted with no charges resulting.
Unfortunately there is not statute or ordinance which prohibits
unsportsmanlike conduct. 

How about this for a bad hair day?  Sgts Jim Acre and Officers Shannon
Siirila and Theresa Hilleman were called to an Odana Road hair salon
last week when a customer and a stylist got into a confrontation over
his dissatisfaction with his haircut.  The man became incensed when
during the exchange the woman touched him in the chest with her index
finger as she was telling him to leave the store.  Using some loud and
quite explicit profanity, the man threatened to do her bodily harm for
touching him.  Since he refused to exercise his options as a dissatified
customer, and continued in the presence of the officers to threaten the
physical well being of the stylist, he was arrested.   He was also told
by the salon management that his business was not welcome in the future.
    
      
It may just be my imagination, but in reviewing the activity in the
district for the past couple of weeks, there seems to be an increase in
the number of hit and run traffic accidents.  If you witness a hit and
run accident, please be a good witness, and when possible, make a note
or two about the license number, color and description of the car
involved, and how many occupants.  If you can't remain at the scene
until the officer gets there, leave your name with the other driver so
the officer can contact you for a statement later. 

It is neighbor trouble season. 

Barking dogs, loud music and other everyday annoyances can take on
lives of their own.  With the weather warming up, windows are open, more
people are enjoying the outdoors.  A reminder, if your music can be
heard as well by your neighbor as it can by you, then it is probably too
loud.  If its loud when the cops get there, you may get a ticket, and
they are not cheap!  There is also a city ordinance against letting your
animal disturb, so common sense is encouraged when deciding to leave
your dog out while you are away from home, or leaving the windows open
so he/she can bark at all of the neighbors walking by.  Also, you are
required to keep your pet under your control, which usually means a
leash, and you had better be carrying with you the means to clean up
after your pet when out for a walk. 

It is NOT underage drinking in the park or curfew violation season.
City of Madison parks close at 10:00 p.m. That includes beachs,
conservancies and neighborhood parks.  Anyone found in a city park after
closing hours is subject to a pricey citation.  City of Madison curfew
hours are:  under 14 yoa, 10:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m.  Under 17 yoa, Sunday -
Thursday, 11:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday, 12:00 midnight -
4:00 a.m.  Parents, it is important for you to know that MGO 23.11 mkes
it "unlawful for parent or guardian to allow any person under the age of
17, under their control to violate curfew laws."  The fines for that
start at $68.75 and go up from there. 

Bike to Work Week:  May 18 - 24.  No City makes it easier or more fun
than Madison.

The First Rule of Safety:  It's not just for kids.  Someone must always
know:  Where you are.   Who you are with. When you will be back.  Go
places with a friend whenever possible.  Please, follow this rule with
and for your loved ones.

Back to West District Newsletter