Denton police responded to a burglary call Monday where the suspects fled on bicycles.
A woman told police, who arrived in the 2300 block of West Hickory Street, she saw a group of children ranging in ages from 10 to 16 walking through her yard on Oak Street with stereo equipment and a puppy in tow. The woman told police that she suspected they were coming from a house behind her home on Hickory Street.
She said the children dropped the items on her lawn and fled “on bicycles that were too large for them.”
The reporting officer said he observed a stereo, a surround-sound speaker and a portable stereo in the woman’s yard. The officer reported, after calling for backup, that he searched the home the woman spoke of for intruders.
Once inside, officers reported substantial damage to the house, including broken windows, holes in multiple walls where it appeared someone had kicked them in, graffiti on the walls and floors, a hole in the ceiling where it appeared a person had fallen through and a fire made with paper and aluminum cans burning in the fireplace.
According to the report, the home’s owner arrived as police searched the residence and told them there was no water in the home.
The fire department, according to police, was called to extinguish the fire.
The owner told officers he leased the home to a group of college students who moved out a month ago and that when he last saw the home three weeks ago it was not damaged.
Officers reported the home appeared disheveled as if it had not been lived in for quite a while.
He said he did not believe the items left in the neighbor’s yard came from his property.
Police reported they took photos of the home’s damaged rooms and collected the items left in the neighbor’s yard for evidence as well as eight spray cans.
Other reports
600 block of East Hickory Street — A Denton police officer took a report via phone Monday from a woman who said her personal information was used to obtain prescription drugs.
According to the police report, the Pilot Point woman told police she received a text message from a Denton pharmacy that her three prescriptions were filled and ready for pick-up.
The woman told an officer she contacted the pharmacy and informed them she had not filled any prescriptions and was told by an employee with the pharmacy that someone using her information placed an order for the prescriptions earlier in the day and had been in the pharmacy earlier to pick up the order but was told it was not ready.
The pharmacy also told the woman the prescriptions were from a doctor who treated her two years ago.
According to the police report, the pharmacy contacted the doctor’s office and learned the prescriptions had been forged.
The woman told the officer she suspected her mother, who was previously charged and convicted for forgery, of using her information to obtain the prescriptions.
3600 block of East University Drive — A man reported to police Monday that someone entered the property of his son’s business and made away with a 2004 Bentley parked in a shed on the lot.
The man, who was seeing after the business while his son was away, said someone cut a fence to gain access to the property.
He said he last saw the vehicle, which was kept in an unlocked shed, about 12:30 p.m. Friday and noticed it missing Monday morning, according to a police report.
The man told police he periodically pulls the vehicle out during business hours and believes a customer might have noticed it.
He also told police the suspect knew about a hidden camera at the business because the batteries and a memory card had been removed from the device.
The vehicle, he said, was put in the shed several months ago after being damaged.
According to a police report, an officer observed the area from where the vehicle was taken and collected photos of the vehicle from the man and intended to report the car stolen.
Roundup
From 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday:
• Denton police handled 346 service and officer-initiated calls, including three burglaries of a vehicle, six thefts, one fraud report, the recovery of a stolen vehicle, one harassment, a criminal mischief report, an alarm sounding, credit card abuse, a lost purse, a stolen bicycle, an attempted burglary, a burglary in progress and a burglary of a habitation.
• Denton County sheriff’s dispatchers handled 714 service and officer-initiated calls for the agencies they serve. A total of 34 people were booked into county jail. Deputies took reports that included a traffic stop, two assaults, one intoxicated person, one burglary and a theft.
• Denton firefighters responded to 15 medical calls, a request to assist an invalid, a vegetation fire, two public service calls, a vehicle accident with injuries, a grass fire, a request for public service, a down power line, a building fire, a motor vehicle accident with no injuries, a trash/rubbish fire and a system malfunction.
Argyle firefighters responded to a grass fire and a request to unlock a vehicle.
Aubrey firefighters responded to a carbon monoxide alarm and a medical call.
Double Oak firefighters responded to a request to unlock a vehicle.
Krum firefighters responded to three structure fires, two medical calls, one down power line, one fire department inspection and one grass fire.
Lake Cities’ firefighters responded to two requests to assist a citizen, three medical calls, one fire department station fill-in, one suicide attempt and a traffic accident.
Ponder firefighters responded to a fire alarm and a structure fire.
Pilot Point firefighters responded to a down power line, a grass fire, a heat-cold exposure and a traffic accident.
Sanger firefighters responded to two medical calls, a grass fire, two structure fires, a vehicle fire, and two road blockage hazards.
— Britney Tabor
Denton County Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these or other crimes. Callers will remain anonymous. Call 1-800-388-TIPS (8477). Reach the Denton police narcotics tip line at 940-565-5801.
