An Anacortes man reported on Saturday, Sept. 16, that he received a message on his iPad stating that his access was blocked for security reasons. There was a support number listed, which he called. The operator said his bank account had already been accessed and demanded that he withdraw $45,000 from it. The operator also said not to tell the bank why he was withdrawing the money and to bring the cash home. The man recognized it as a scam, moving the money to a different account and freezing the original account. He was concerned that someone may show up at his residence to get the cash they believed he retrieved. Officers advised that he call back should he notice anyone unfamiliar near his home.
Here are some of the other cases Anacortes Police worked on this week.
Friday, September 15, 2023
An officer was dispatched to a domestic-violence incident around R Avenue and 20th Street. The reporting party said that a car was traveling east and advised that the driver had reached back and tried to hit someone. The reporting party believed there may be blood on the back passenger window. She had lost sight of the vehicle. The registered owner of the vehicle and another person had been contacted the previous day regarding a verbal domestic case, but no assault had occurred in that case despite a possible argument. An officer checked the area but could not locate the vehicle. The officer requested that dispatch put out an attempt-to-locate for a welfare check on the vehicle’s occupants.
Dispatch advised that an Anacortes man was reporting that he was rear-ended at the R Avenue and 22nd Street roundabout. He advised that the vehicle that had hit him had then taken off southbound on R Avenue. He contacted an officer at the APD and described what had happened to the responding officer. He said he did not wish to pursue charges if the individuals could be contacted, but rather that he simply wanted to exchange insurance information.
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Anacortes officers received a call regarding a possible DUI driver traveling westbound on Highway 20. The reporting party reported a car driving on its rims with debris flying everywhere and erratic lane travel. An officer took position on Highway 20 and observed the vehicle. The officer stopped the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The officer did not observe that the driver was intoxicated, but the officer did complete a criminal citation for reckless driving. The vehicle was likely totaled due to how far she drove on bare rims.
Monday, September 18, 2024
The reporting party reported yelling in the 700 block of Longview Avenue. An officer arrived and talked to a man and a woman, who informed him that there was a disagreement about who owned the neighborhood stray cat. The man went to the woman’s house and yelled at her to give him the cat. She allowed him to have the cat. There was no crime, and both parties said they understood that this was handled poorly.
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
An Anacortes woman reported that gas had been stolen from her vehicle sometime overnight. She located the gas cap hanging from the vehicle that day. She stated she would contact her neighbors regarding any pertinent information that could help identify a suspect.
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
An employee at a property management company advised that they were evicting a tenant who had broken a lock off a water meter and had been stealing water. Officers contacted the employee, who advised that water to the suspect’s address had been shut off for lack of payment and that water usage had resumed Aug. 16 after she broke the lock. An officer contacted the tenant, who denied having broken anything. She said she had an understanding that an organization would be paying her water bill and that when it came back on, she figured that was what happened. She was not aware of anyone who would have removed the lock.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Dispatch advised of a property damage complaint in the 4700 block of Fidalgo Bay Road. The reporting party advised that his vehicles were hit by rocks from a maintenance crew. He said that people were mowing the grass near his trailer, kicking up rocks and hitting his truck. He said he had been in contact with management, who would not acknowledge being at fault. The man said about $5,000 in damage had been done to the paint job of his truck and an additional $2,000 to his trailer. The officer provided the man with the relevant case number and documented the incident.