TALES FROM THE POLICE LOG: Dec. 15-21

Here are the highlights, for one reason or another, from the pages of the Peabody Police Department press log this week.

December 15

• 9:28 a.m. A resident at the corner of Lynch and Lynnfield streets reported it looked like a vehicle struck a tree during the night and the vehicle was left there, abandoned. An officer spoke with a 27-year-old man who lives on Baldwin Street and he said he fell asleep while driving his car -- a red 2005 Lexus. The vehicle was towed away and the man said he would seek his own medical attention.
• 5:12 p.m. Police received a report of a female "huffing cans" inside a store downtown and repeatedly passing out. She was asked to leave and then headed toward McDonald's. Police were unable to locate her and notified Salem police.

December 16

• 8:48 a.m. Mall security reported people in line outside Foot Locker for a release of a new sneaker model were causing a problem. An officer responded to the scene and said order was restored.
• 1:33 p.m. Mall security reported receiving a call from Sears store security of a problem with a shoplifter who supposedly had a gun. There was no description of the shoplifter nor any possible location for the suspect. An officer checked with Sears security and they said they did not make the call and were unaware of any problems. Police said the incident appeared to be unfounded.

December 17

• 10:21 a.m. A caller reported hearing a loud explosion and could see smoke in the area behind 12 Park St. Police and firefighters checked the area, but could not find anything. Police said it was possibly just a car backfiring.
• 7:14 p.m. A caller reported a vehicle was operating erratically at the corner of Lowell Street and Stockton Road. The caller said the vehicle was driving on the wrong side of the road and on the sidewalk at multiple times. An officer reported the driver was elderly and disoriented. His family members were contacted to come pick him up.

December 18

• 2:47 p.m. An employee at the CVS on Main Street reported there was a shoplifter in the store. The person was confronted and returned the merchandise. The clerk did not wish to make a report at the time and said the shoplifter fled in a red Toyota toward Salem. The clerk said the suspect also told him he had warrants out for his arrest.
• 8:59 p.m. A caller at Su-Chang's reported witnessing an assault. The caller said the driver from one vehicle exited his car and punched the driver of another vehicle through an open window. Both vehicles then sped away up Prospect Street. The victim of the assault called police shortly after and was advised to pull over and wait for an officer to take a report. After speaking with the victim, an officer said the fisticuffs were due to road rage. The victim did not want to pursue charges at the time.

December 19

• 12:21 a.m. A caller reported some cows were taking a late night stroll down Buxton Lane. Police said all the animals were contained to one yard and employees from Dunajski Dairy would be rounding up the herd.
• 7:12 p.m. A caller at Drastic Tattoo & Body Piercing on Route 1 reported an apparently disoriented elderly male was wandering around the parking lot. The man was described as having dark hair and wearing a dark blue jacket, tan pants and white sneakers. An officer spoke to the gentleman who said he was waiting by the ATM for a telephoned money transfer to go through to his account so he can make a withdrawal.

December 20

• 12:35 p.m. A caller at the Century House Restaurant reported someone stole the handicap placard off his parked car.
• 2:44 p.m. Public Services reported that a few of a Forest Street resident's chickens and peacocks escaped their pens. Police notified the man and advised him he was responsible for retrieving and properly housing the birds. They said this was an ongoing issue with the man. The Health Department was also notified.
• 3:05 p.m. A caller on Benevento Circle reported he put his trash out last night at 6 p.m., and that morning at 8 a.m. he discovered that someone had removed all of his trash from the barrel. He checked and JRM had not been by to pick up the trash by that time. The man said he was concerned someone might be attempting to commit identity fraud; a neighbor's trash barrel was similarly emptied.

December 21

• 4:51 a.m. Police received a report of possible gunshots near a Mansfield Street home. A caller reported a white male, about five-foot-eight with dark hair and a scruffy beard and wearing a dark tee shirt came to the door asking to call 911. Police said a vehicle from one home apparently struck a car at a neighbor's home along with a city-owned tree on Holten Street. Police said the driver in the first car was taken to Lynn Union Hospital and his passenger was taken to Lahey Clinic. That man, a 43-year-old Peabody resident, was also issued a court summons for driving under the influence of drugs and two counts of leaving the scene of property damage.
• 12:10 p.m. A caller at a Lowell Street apartment reported someone entered her unit and switched her personal keys with an unknown set of keys. Police said they would try to identify the owner of the keys by the Stop & Shop and CVS cards on the chain. Police said there were no signs of forced entry to the apartment.