Jan. 14: Burglary, forced entry — Three people house-sitting a Pointe South Drive residence called police and reported a break-in. A carport window and a living-room window had been broken, and an officer noticed a gloved handprint on the window. A television, Nintendo Wii and two laptop computers were missing. The complainants could not provide any serial numbers or more detailed descriptions of the missing items. A detective was notified, and the complainants were given victims’ rights information and instructions for obtaining a copy of the report.
Public drunkenness — A West Oglethorpe Highway convenience store employee told police a drunk woman would not leave her business. The responding officer said the woman appeared intoxicated and needed to hold onto objects to keep from falling. The woman took her pants off and began to yell and curse at the store employee.
Wearing protective gloves, the officer helped the drunk woman put her pants back on and helped her outside. She was arrested for public drunkenness, issued a citation with a bond of $276 and given a court date.

Jan. 15
Elder abuse — An Oakview Street man and his daughter called police and reported that the man’s step-daughter had accumulated more than $30,000 in loan and credit-card debt by using the man’s credit card. The complainant said he gave his stepdaughter power of attorney to pay bills when he was diagnosed with dementia in 2007. The man and his daughter learned of the stepdaughter’s misdeeds after they received a letter from Wells Fargo about a $60,000 line of credit he did not open.
The detectives’ division was contacted, and the complainant was given victims’ rights information and instructions for obtaining a copy of the report.
Entering auto — A shopper at Family Dollar called police when she noticed her purse missing from her car.
She said she left the purse on the passenger seat with the windows slightly open and the vehicle doors unlocked. The store has no exterior cameras.
The complainant was given victims’ rights information and instructions for obtaining a copy of the report.

Jan. 16
Shots fired — Officers were dispatched to Jennifer’s Big Apple, where shots reportedly had been fired and people were fighting in the parking lot. Police saw no one fighting, but were told by witnesses that shots had been fired by someone in a red Infiniti in the middle of East Oglethorpe Highway, who then departed the area. Casings were collected for evidence.

Jan. 17
Attempted kidnapping — A 20-year old Hinesville woman told police someone tried to kidnap her as she walked to her sister’s house from a convenience store on W. Oglethorpe Highway near Cherokee Drive.
She said a man wearing a dark, hooded jacket and riding a bike approached her from behind, grabbed her by the arm and told her to come with him. When she refused, he repeated himself forcefully and pulled a pistol from his pocket.
The woman said when she saw the gun, she ran toward her sister’s house, where she called 911.
The investigating officer went to the convenience store to acquire surveillance footage, but the store clerk said he couldn’t provide access to the cameras. The store manager could assist them the next day, he said.
The woman said she was not injured and did not require EMS.

Jan. 20
Shoplifting — A 21-year old Savannah man was arrested by HPD officers for shoplifting at Walmart. The man was spotted by the door greeter attempting to leave the store without paying for five computer tablets valued at $674 each. The man was asked to show his receipt for them. He told the store’s loss-prevention officer that his receipt was in the parking lot and was allowed to go get it. Video footage showed the man putting the tablets in his shopping cart and attempting to leave without paying for them.