Reported kidnapping debunked by video evidence

Saturday, March 14

She can sleep with whom she wants

10:50 a.m., Main Street at Pineapple Avenue

Dispute: Responding to an arguing female couple, an officer was told the dispute was over one of them “sleeping with a bunch of” the other’s friends, according to the incident report. Not denying the allegation, the accused advised “she can sleep with whomever she wants,” the report reads. 

The jilted woman then advised the officer the alleged philanderer was following and harassing her, which she denied and advised she only wanted the woman to stop trash talking her. She then left the area without further issue.

Monday, March 16

Kidnapping was just ‘horse play’

4:12 p.m., 1500 block of Main Street

Suspicious incident: Officers were requested to respond to a woman who said she witnessed be a kidnapping. The woman said she was driving on Main Street when she passed a surface parking lot where she witnessed a child “being thrown into a truck of a sedan by an adult male,” according to the incident report. 

It all happened so fast, the complainant said, that she was unable to describe clothing the child was wearing, but was adamant she had witnessed a kidnapping.

Naturally, such a statement resulted in the response of multiple officers to investigate. The initial responding officer called the business phone listed on a sign at the private parking lot, first speaking with an individual in Portland, Oregon, who connected the officer with a local representative of the company. 

After explaining the nature of the investigation, the officer requested security video footage sent to his SPD-issued phone. Reviewing the footage, the officer noted an adult male and adult female walking with someone who appeared to be a child aged 10-12. The child walks up to a blue sedan and climbs into the trunk by his own volition. The adult male then appears to close the trunk, however the child opens it from the inside, climbs out and then enters the back seat of the vehicle. 

The entire incident appeared to be “horse play,” according to the report. No foul play nor injury were apparent.

Wednesday, March 18

What a dumbbell

3:05 p.m., 1500 block of 23rd Street

Criminal mischief: A woman told a responding officer she witnessed her cousin pick up a 10-pound dumbbell from the yard and use it to strike his brother’s vehicle, which was parked in the street in front of the house. The incident report lists the brothers as having different last names.

The woman stated the man struck the vehicle — which did not have a license plate attached — several times on the hood and on the front passenger side door. He then dropped the dumbbell and left the area on foot.

The officer observed multiple dents on the hood and passenger door, and the dumbbell lying on the sidewalk next to the vehicle. Speaking with the owner by phone, the officer was advised he did not wish to press charges. The damage was photographed in the event the victim changes his mind regarding prosecution. The victim was provided a case number and contact information.