A Denton police officer re­sponding to a reported fire in the 400 block of Woodland Street found a recliner burning in the front yard about 2:17 a.m. Fri­day.

Another officer radioed that he arrested the resident a day earlier and that the man he arrested threatened to burn his former girl­friend’s furniture, left at the house.

Arriving officers knocked on the door of the house but got no answer. They finally convinced the resident to come out.

He explained that he and his girlfriend had broken up. They often had sex on the recliner, he said, so he poured charcoal light­er on it and set it ablaze to burn out old memories.

The fire marshal found the girlfriend, who said the chair be­longed to her and she wanted to press charges.

The man was charged with criminal mischief.

Other reports

600 block of East Hickory Street — Denton police are finishing up an extensive investigation into the complaints of several people that a Denton man who advertised on the Internet that he made custom crossbows has taken money and never provided the crossbows.

According to the investigation, at least since the summer of 2006, people have been complaining that they were defrauded.

One man sent him $800 worth of specialized components for a crossbow and never received it, according to the investigative reports.

Another man said he has sent $2,400 to the Denton man with requests for multiple crossbows but has received none.

Another man reported losing $260, according to the reports.

Roundup

From 7 a.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday:

Denton police handled 329 calls, including four assaults, two cases of possession of marijuana, three reports of criminal mischief, one case of possession of drug paraphernalia, seven thefts, two cases of harassment, one aggravated assault, three vehicle burglaries, one deceased person and one intoxicated person.

Denton County sheriff’s dispatchers handled 245 calls for service and officer-initiated calls for the agencies they serve. Thirty-four people were booked into county jail.

Deputies took reports of one case of harassment, one burglary, one criminal mischief, one fraud, one aggravated sexual assault of a child and one stalking.

Denton firefighters responded to one fire, 17 medical calls, one car fire, one request to assist an invalid, one alarm, one brush fire, one illegal burn and two traffic accidents.

Argyle firefighters responded to two medical calls, one road hazard, one request to unlock a vehicle, one request to assist a citizen and one alarm.

Aubrey firefighters responded to one medical call and two alarms.

Corinth firefighters responded to two electrical fires and one medical call.

Pilot Point firefighters re­sponded to one medical alarm, one medical call and two downed power lines.

Oak Point firefighters responded to one medical call and one request to assist a citizen.

Double Oak firefighters re­sponded to one downed power line.

Krum firefighters responded to one medical call.

Sanger firefighters responded to one alarm.

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com.