For the two-week reporting period from Monday, November 3rd, through Sunday, November 16th, Clayton officers responded to 782 calls for service, including 35 vehicle crashes and 103 calls to assist other agencies. Among those calls were the following incidents:

Late Monday afternoon, November 3rd, the maintenance supervisor at a local apartment building reported interrupting a burglary. He told officers he saw an unfamiliar man exiting the building’s maintenance shop carrying equipment belonging to the property. When confronted, the suspect dropped the items and fled in a black Toyota Tundra. The investigation is ongoing.

On Tuesday afternoon, November 4^th, a woman told officers she was exiting a parking lot onto Carondelet Avenue when her view was obstructed by a car parked at the curb. As she slowly pulled forward, she was struck by an eastbound vehicle. Her driver’s side wheel was damaged, and her car was later towed. The other driver reported that the woman pulled out suddenly in front of him, and he was unable to stop in time. He reported minor wrist pain but declined medical attention.

Officers responded multiple times to reports of a man yelling at passersby in the Moorlands neighborhood on Thursday, November 6th. He was ultimately arrested for Peace Disturbance. After his arrest, the man refused to walk and became noncompliant, requiring officers to carry him. He was issued summonses for Peace Disturbance and Failure to Comply and has an upcoming court date in Clayton Municipal Court.

Later that afternoon, a woman filed a delayed theft report after dining at 801 Chophouse the night before. She told officers she had left her purse on a barstool while using the restroom and that she discovered her wallet was missing when she attempted to pay her bill. She soon received a fraud alert, and investigators later learned an unknown man and woman used her credit cards to make nearly $2,000 in unauthorized purchases at Nordstrom Rack in Brentwood. The investigation continues.

Employees at CVS reported a woman had been concealing merchandise in a gift bag early Friday morning. The items were recovered, and the woman was arrested for Larceny. She was also warned that she would be arrested for Trespassing if she returned to the store.

Later that morning, officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of S. Hanley and Clayton Roads. One driver told officers he was turning left from northbound Hanley onto Clayton when he was struck by a southbound car. He stated he had a green light but could not recall having a green arrow. The other driver reported that the turning vehicle suddenly pulled in front of him. Neither driver was injured, but both vehicles had to be towed from the scene.

A woman flagged down a CPD officer late Friday morning to report her sunroof had been shattered while her vehicle was parked near Alamo Avenue and Seminary Place. No suspects or witnesses have been identified.

That afternoon, St. Louis County Library staff requested assistance regarding a man spitting on walls and floors. The man left before officers arrived, but was later found in a nearby park acting erratically. He resisted officers’ attempts to detain him and later repeatedly spat inside the patrol vehicle and the holding cell. He was issued summonses for Trespassing, Failure to Comply, Resisting Arrest, and Destruction of Private Property, and has a Municipal Court date pending.

A resident of the 6400 block of San Bonita discovered Saturday morning that his Jeep Cherokee had been broken into overnight. The driver’s window was shattered, the interior had been rifled through, and his wallet was missing. No suspects or witnesses have been identified.

On Monday, November 10^th, a woman reported a delayed burglary at her daughter’s home in the north end of town. She explained she had been waiting for her grandchildren’s school bus that afternoon when she noticed a white sedan parked beside the home. She recalled seeing two unfamiliar individuals walk down the driveway and toward the backyard. Believing they might be contractors, she initially thought nothing of it. However, when she returned to the home, she discovered that a basement window had been shattered and one of the home’s security cameras had been tampered with. Surveillance footage later showed the sedan circling the area several times. It does not appear that the subjects gained entry into the residence. The investigation continues.

A traffic stop near Clayton Road and Big Bend on Tuesday night, November 11^th, led to the driver’s arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He has a pending Municipal Court date.

Just before 1 a.m. on Wednesday, November 12th, CPD Officers responded to a report of a residential burglary in the 7500 block of Forsyth Boulevard. The victim reported that a masked man had unlawfully entered his apartment while carrying a gasoline-filled container and what appeared to be a firearm. A struggle ensued, during which the victim sustained minor injuries.

During the altercation, the victim recognized the intruder as his former roommate, 24-year-old Ahmad Alamir of O’Fallon, Illinois. The victim stated that A. Alamir had been evicted several months earlier following a dispute over unpaid rent and had no lawful reason to be in the apartment.

With assistance from a University City Police Department K9 team, officers tracked the suspect from the scene to an alley behind the 7600 block of Maryland Avenue, where he was located and taken into custody without further incident. A. Alamir smelled strongly of gasoline and was found in possession of a lighter, gloves, a facemask, and a key that unlocked the victim’s apartment door.

During a subsequent search of the suspect’s path of travel, officers recovered a discarded airsoft pistol from a trash can behind a residence in the 7600 block of Westmoreland Avenue, near the Hanley House. Surveillance video from neighboring homes corroborated A. Alamir’s presence in the area where the pistol was found.

Officers presented the case to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and warrants were issued charging A. Alamir with Burglary 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action. A cash-only bond of $500,000 was set, and A. Alamir remains in custody.

This appears to be an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

The Clayton Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the University City Police Department, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the members of our community who provided video footage and assistance during this investigation. This case highlights the vital role public cooperation plays in solving crimes and maintaining safety throughout our community.

Later that morning, a resident of the Moorlands neighborhood called the CPD to report his vehicle had been damaged overnight. He explained that he had parked in front of his home on Tuesday night and that his roommate alerted him to the damage on Wednesday morning. When he went outside to investigate, he discovered new damage on his vehicle’s rear driver’s side door. The damage appeared to have been caused by another vehicle; however, that vehicle was no longer on the scene, and the driver had left no note. No suspects or witnesses have been identified. The investigation is ongoing.

A short time later, a resident of the 6400 block of San Bonita reported that her vehicle had been damaged overnight. She explained that she had parked her car in front of her home on Tuesday afternoon. When she returned on Wednesday morning, she noticed someone had broken out her sunroof. Nothing had appeared to have been taken or rummaged through. No suspects or witnesses have been identified. The investigation continues.

Officers also responded to two separate leaving-the-scene crashes. In the first, a hotel valet reported a white van struck a guest’s vehicle and fled. In the second, a man returned to his parked car on Carondelet Avenue to find new damage with no note left behind. Both incidents remain under investigation.

That afternoon, a driver reported that traffic on southbound I-170 over Brentwood Boulevard stopped abruptly, causing her to collide with the vehicle ahead. The force of the crash caused her vehicle’s airbags to deploy, and the car was later towed from the scene.

A resident in the 6300 block of Northwood awoke Thursday morning to discover his vehicle’s window had been broken out overnight. Nothing appeared to have been taken, and no suspects or witnesses have been identified. The investigation continues.

That afternoon, Officers responded to CVS regarding a single-vehicle accident. The driver reported she had been travelling westbound on Clayton Rd. when she lost control of her vehicle and struck a light post at the entrance to the CVS parking lot, knocking it down. Her vehicle was disabled by the crash and was towed from the scene.

A man contacted the CPD on Friday morning, November 14th, after discovering someone had stolen the license plate from his vehicle. He last recalled seeing the plate affixed to his truck on Wednesday afternoon. No suspects or witnesses have been identified.

Late Friday night, an officer conducting a traffic stop near Big Bend and Clayton observed what appeared to be a bullet hole in a shattered rear window. The Officer asked the adult driver whether he or any of his three juvenile passengers had any weapons in the vehicle; they all denied having any weapons in the car. After the driver consented to a vehicle search, one of the juveniles, a 17-year-old male, ran from the scene into Richmond Heights. Officers conducted a short search of the area but did not find the juvenile.

Officers searched the car and discovered two automatic rifle-style pistols inside the trunk and accessible from the backseat, where the juvenile who fled had been seated. Both firearms were loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition and another round in the chamber. Additional ammunition was found inside the vehicle. A computer inquiry revealed that neither weapon was registered nor reported as stolen. The driver and the remaining two passengers stated that the firearms belonged to the passenger who had fled. Both firearms were seized for safekeeping.

Further investigation revealed that the driver did not have a valid driver’s license and that the vehicle was not properly registered. The driver was subsequently arrested and issued summonses for his traffic violations. The car was towed. The two juvenile passengers were later released to their guardians. An investigation into the identity of the third juvenile continues.

Early Sunday morning, November 16th, the overnight manager at CVS reported a man had stolen alcohol from the store. When describing the suspect, the witness reported the man had been wearing a security uniform. He was last seen leaving as the passenger in a white Ford Transit van. The investigation continues.

A traffic stop in the 1000 block of Big Bend Blvd. resulted in the driver’s arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.

Sunday afternoon, a resident of the 6300 block of N. Rosebury reported her license plate had been stolen from her vehicle. She last recalled seeing the plate affixed to her car when she returned home Saturday afternoon. No suspects or witnesses have been identified.

Finally, a CPD Officer returned to CVS late on Sunday night to follow-up on the shoplifting incident from early that morning. As he entered the store, he saw a man running out and getting into the passenger side of a waiting vehicle. Employees confirmed the man had stolen from the store, and the officer quickly followed the fleeing vehicle and initiated a traffic stop.

The Officer identified the passenger as the suspect who had been seen running from CVS. When questioned about shoplifting from the store, the man admitted to stealing face creams. At the time of the traffic stop, he still had merchandise concealed in his clothing. He was subsequently arrested for Shoplifting and Receiving Stolen Property.

During a search of the vehicle, Officers uncovered numerous clothing items with security sensors attached, additional items believed stolen, receipts from out-of-state purchases, banking information for another individual, and several checks that appeared to have been forged to be made payable to the passenger.

The driver later stated he was aware the items in the vehicle had been stolen. He claimed the passenger was responsible for the thefts but admitted assisting him. Both men were arrested for Shoplifting and Receiving Stolen Property. Bond was set at $1,000, and they have an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.

Officers later confirmed one of the checks written to the passenger was fraudulent. They presented this information to the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office, and a warrant was issued for the passenger for one count of Forgery. A cash-only bond was set at $75,000. As of the time of this report, both men remained in custody.

Anyone with information about these or other investigations is asked to contact the CPD at (314) 645 -3000. Until next week, stay safe!