Weird Crime: Thief Steals Van That Needs Tires, Gas

This is a roundup of recent odd, unusual and head-scratching crime reports from in and around the St. Louis area.

Here's a look at recent reports of weird crime in and around the St. Louis area. Stolen Van Needed Gas, Tires A Ferguson man is facing criminal charges for stealing a van that not only needed gas, but apparently tires as well. He also was charged with stealing eight tires from Dobbs Tire and Auto. Florissant Police said the man stole a 1994 GMC conversion van from a Johnny Londoff Chevrolet lot sometime between July 29 and Aug. 1. The van belonged to an employee at the car dealership. Police said man also broke into Dobbs Tire and Auto, and stole eight tires valued at $1,593. He was identified through surveillance tapes at Dobbs and at a Quik Trip gas station where he bought gas for the van, according to court documents. Man Leaves Behind …

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High-Speed Chase Ends with Help from Richmond Heights Police

The chase that reportedly involved a driver trying to back over a police officer involved 10 police, Kirkwood Patch and FOX 2 reported.

Weird Crime: Car Crooks Caught by Homeowner with Handgun

This is a roundup of odd, unusual and off-the wall crimes compiled from recent police reports around the St. Louis area.

Here's a look at recent strange crimes compiled from August police reports around the St. Louis area. All in the Family An unidentified 15-year-old used a gun to hold up a gas station in Chesterfield Aug. 26. He was turned in to police by his father, police said. A son asked his mother for some money Aug. 23 in the parking lot of Neighbors Credit Union in Fenton after she had cashed her paycheck. He became upset when she refused to give him any money so he stole the money from her hand and ran off. A 34-year-old St. Peters man was charged with pushing, hitting and kicking his mother Aug. 24, sending her to the hospital for her injuries. His grandmother witnessed the attack. He was charged with third degree domestic assault Unloaded Gun Was…

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Police Use X-Ray Vision During Stealing Investigation

A man taken into custody by the Richmond Heights Police Department made an unusual statement that required medical intervention.

An odd comment from a man taken into custody recently prompted the Richmond Heights Police Department to request X-rays. It happened Aug. 16, a blotter entry states. The man was taken into custody on suspicion of stealing from Schnucks, 6600 Clayton Rd. He had to be taken to a hospital after he told police he had swallowed some metal. X-rays revealed he had been telling the truth. The man was released without being booked, and his case was expected to be presented for a warrant application. More weird crime recently reported on Patch:

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Weird Crime: Man Steals Car After Grabbing Victim's Keys, Police Say

It happened this month in the parking lot of a Richmond Heights apartment complex.

A perpetrator grabbed a Richmond Heights resident's keys and took off with his car, the Richmond Heights Police Department reported this month. It happened Aug. 12. The victim had returned home to his apartment complex in the 1100 block of Bellevue Avenue when a person approached him on the parking lot and asked for money and directions. The victim refused to give him money, at which point the suspect took the keys out of his hand and fled in the victim's car. The car was located in the City of Berkeley using OnStar. Officers found a cellphone inside the vehicle that did not belong to the victim. An investigation was ongoing. More recent weird crime on Patch:

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Victim Shrugs Off Claims Armed Men Stole Girlfriend's Pink Bicycle

The alleged incident happened on Big Bend Boulevard at Wise Avenue, the Richmond Heights Police Department reported.

A man who claimed two armed men robbed him of his girlfriend's pink bicycle Aug. 19 in Richmond Heights has since asked police to drop the case, the Richmond Heights Police Department reported. (For the latest weird crime coverage, get the free Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch newsletter.) The man told police he had been walking the bike north on Big Bend Boulevard at Wise Avenue when the men robbed him. He said he broke away and ran north into Clayton, at which point he came across two Washington University police officers whom he asked for help. The next day, he contacted Richmond Heights police to say he had decided to move out of town and no longer needed law-enforcement involvement because "what happened was no big deal," the blotter …

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Thief Unreels Alabama Family's Esquire Theatre Visit

It happened this summer, Richmond Heights police said.

A thief turned one Alabama family's summer movie experience into a headache, the Richmond Heights Police Department reported. It happened June 23 when the perpetrator broke into the family's as they visited the AMC Esquire 7, 6706 Clayton Rd. The person stole a purse containing a checkbook, a bank card, jewelry and a cellphone, along with five suitcases full of clothing. More recent weird crime articles on Patch:

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Weird Burglaries: Untouched Valuables, Running Water

The two incidents happened in late July in Richmond Heights, police reported.

Two burglaries with some unusual attributes happened recently in Richmond Heights, the city's police department reported. On July 25, a jewelry box containing numerous pieces of jewelry was reported stolen July 25 during a burglary at a home in the 1200 block of Bellevue Avenue. The odd part? The perpetrator did not take other valuables in the house. Homeowners found a partially opened window in the living room. Two days later, a stereo, a jewelry stand, a backpack and beer were reported stolen during a burglary at a home in the 1700 block of Yale Avenue. The victim returned home to find several open windows. A hose had been left below the open kitchen window, leaving water on the kitchen floor. More recent weird crime on Patch:

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Stolen Breast Pumps, a Falling Lawn Mower and More

This is a roundup of recent odd, unusual and head-scratching crime reports from in and around the St. Louis area.

Here's a look at recent reports of weird crime in and around the St. Louis area. Don't Touch That Dial! Police received a call for a disturbance July 18 on Yale Avenue in Maplewood. A 53-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman had assaulted one another after arguing about changing a television show. Hot Items on the Thieves' Hit List Someone stole 18 packs of flea and tick repellent, valued at $822.77, July 18 from PetSmart in Arnold. Four Medela breast pumps were stolen July 15 from Buy Buy Baby in Ballwin. The pumps were valued at $1,599. Creve Coeur police were notified that sometime between July 14 and July 15, a metal heron, measuring 16 inches tall, was taken from a yard on Champeix Lane. It was valued at approximately $40. Landscaper …

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