Reports recently filed with the Hinesville Police Department include:

March 21
Theft of lottery tickets — An employee of a Clyde’s Market on Main Street was accused of stealing. A district manager called the officer in, saying the store experienced a $100 cash shortage the day before, and surveillance video showed the clerk taking lottery tickets from a counter and walking off. It is suspected the clerk scanned them on a register that another employee was signed into. The clerk was to be fired, and the officer was called in to witness that. The employee did not show up for work. The manager said criminal charges would not be pursued.

Improper passing, obstructing investigation — An officer patrolling South Main Street saw a car pass another on the right. The passed car was going about 25 mph and the officer estimated the passing car was going 40. So he stopped it. As the officer was walking to the car, it took off and quickly pulled into the Liberty County EMS Station. When the officer caught up, the driver was gone. A juvenile in the car said her mother’s boyfriend had been driving. Later, another juvenile passenger said she knew the driver as “Tyrone,” not the name the first passenger gave. When the car’s owner, the first passenger’s mother, arrived she said her boyfriend was at work in Pooler, but the officer could find no record of the purported place of employment to confirm his whereabouts. He also knew the boyfriend, knew his driving record and that he was apt to run when stopped.

March 20
Attempted robbery — As a Dunkin’ Donuts employee was leaving work about 8:40 p.m., he noticed a man dressed all in black, wearing a bandana over his face and walking toward the store. The employee ran back in, yelled at others to “run” and locked himself in the office. It is unclear what the robber did inside, or whether he got any money, but he was seen on surveillance video. He was described as a 5-foot-8 to 6-foot foot black man. When the employees who ran saw the suspect outside, they called police and their managers.

March 19
Home burglary, no forced entry — A Poppleton Drive resident said when he woke up, he noticed an AK-47 and some loaded magazines were missing from his bedroom. Looking further, he saw a PlayStation 4 was missing from his living room. He said he worked from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. the day before and then stayed home the rest of the night. There was no indication whether he noticed the items that night. The officer saw no signs of forced entry.

March 18
Battery — A mother of three in Cypress Bend Mobile Home Park advised officers that earlier in the day she had quelled some rough play among her sons and some neighborhood children. One of the children apparently went home and told his mother about it. Soon, three women pulled up in a car at the victim’s home and asked to speak with her. When she came out, they jumped her, punching her several times. Officers said her wounds were visible, but she refused going to a hospital for treatment because she would not leave her children. EMT’s told her to get more treatment than they could provide as soon as possible. Children, who witnessed the assault, corroborated the woman’s story. She did not know any of the women’s names, and officers were unable to locate any of them from descriptions provided.

March 17
Possession of marijuana — An officer became suspicious of a car parked in a driveway on Strickland Street when the officer was home picking up some property. The officer walked over to Hinesville First United Methodist Church to watch as the car just sat in the drive. Soon, a man came out of a nearby home, went to the car and made something to the driver. The officer reported the man was a neighbor of his. Instead of going after the seller, the officer followed the driver and stopped her on M.L. King Jr. Boulevard. During questioning, she admitted she had marijuana with her and that she had just bought it from the officer’s neighbor, though she claimed to not know the pusher. No word on whether the seller was targeted later.