Here is the latest in Lytle’s law enforcement activity. With all that we have going on I am really surprised that the TV show “COPS” didn’t want to do some filming with us since they were nearby with the Bexar Co. Sheriff’s Office.
On to the numbers……Our officers handled 45 calls for police service and conducted 38 traffic stops. Those stops resulted in 27 citations and 11 warnings.
If you take out our activity at H.E.B. Plus (which included three shoplifters and a beer run at the C-store) we only had one other property crime. Several items were stolen off a vehicle at Riding High Customs on FM 2790 @ IH-35. It really bugs me that you have to have everything you own bolted down, under surveillance, insured and hidden from public view just to have a chance at keeping the crooks away.
The “arrest of the week” would have to be the guy Lt. Dear and I arrested for shoplifting at H.E.B. Plus. We had just finished up issuing citations to a young couple for theft and we were alerted that a “known” shoplifter had entered the store and was filling up his basket with goodies. This guy was so focused he didn’t even realize that there were two fully marked police vehicles parked out front. I guess it is like when I’m headed through the front door of a big buffet, I’m not paying attention to what’s going on because I have my sights set on locating the banana pudding. Well Lt. Dear and I waited in the parking lot and sure enough he conducted a full cart push out and was confronted by loss prevention. He then took off running in the parking lot. Lt. Dear and I circled and crisscrossed in our vehicles until Lt. Dear dismounted and took him into custody. His attempted haul was valued at over $350 and included everything from a $58 brisket to a $16 Smurfs DVD.
Don’t forget the annual Lytle fireworks display on Wednesday, July 4th at John Lott Park. It kicks off at 7 PM with free hotdogs and drinks. The sky is set to light up 9:30 PM. It’s all free, just bring a lawn chair to relax in and a fire extinguisher in case the situation gets out of control.
It is also time for my semi-annual reminder that the discharge of fireworks in the city limits is prohibited by the fire code. We are not trying to ruin the fun; this is simply a safety issue. It seems that people either love fireworks or hate them. It is much like our country’s political atmosphere, not much middle ground.