MONROE, CT — An 18-year-old Guilford man allegedly pulled a switchblade on two juvenile males during an argument inside McDonald’s Tuesday night.
Jack Creamer was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, second-degree breach of peace, second-degree threatening and first-degree reckless endangerment. He was released on $2,500 bond for an Aug. 25 court date.
Police were dispatched to the McDonald’s at 390 Monroe Turnpike for a threatening complaint around 9:53 p.m.
At the scene, officers asked Creamer if he pulled a knife on someone and he said he did it as a joke, according to police, who also said Creamer told them he was messing around with the other youths and did not know them.
Police said they recovered a black and silver switch blade with a four-inch-blade that fully extends to eight inches.
The juveniles said Creamer harassed them inside the restaurant, while they were getting their food, they tried to ignore him, but he kept approaching them. Words were exchanged and the juveniles said Creamer asked if they wanted to “take it outside.”
Police said two Trumbull males, both 17, put their food down on their table, turned around and approached Creamer, who pulled a knife on them. Then one of the juveniles called police.
The Trumbull males were with two friends and Creamer was with a female, but neither of them got involved in the altercation police said.
Stolen gun found
A roofing contractor working at the shopping center at 494 Main St. told police workers found a 45-caliber pistol in the woods behind the building Thursday.
Police said the gun, found between two rocks and under a pile of leaves, had been reported stolen from Georgia in March of 2016, adding it was in a rusted condition.
The pistol, a 1911 manufactured by Rock Island Armory, was brought to the police station. The case is under investigation.
Check washing
A 58-year-old Elm Street man reported two checks stolen from his mailbox Wednesday and his bank later informed him someone altered information on one and tried to cash it.
The victim told police his wife mailed out the checks on Aug. 12, but he found the flag up and the mailbox door open at 5:30 a.m. the next morning — and the checks were gone.
A $15,000 check was made out to Bank of America for a credit card payment and another check was made out to Quest Diagnostics for a bill.
The bank told the victim someone changed the amount of the $15,000 check to $9,482, and changed the recipient to Moe’s Money Inc. After learning his bank denied an attempt to cash it, he immediately canceled the other check.
It was unclear why the identity thief reduced the amount of the $15,000 check, though federal law requires the reporting of payments of over $10,000 received in trade or business, according to the IRS.
Police said the victim did not have a Ring camera and no other cameras in the area caught footage of the theft of the checks from his mailbox.
Look out below
A 49-year-old Bayport, N.Y., man escaped injury after a large tree branch came crashing down onto his black Lexus NX as he headed east on Judd Road Tuesday evening.
Police said the branch caused a moderate dent on the hood, cracked the windshield and broke off the passenger side mirror. However, the damage was minor enough that the vehicle did not have to be towed, according to the report.
The incident occurred around 5:25 p.m.
Unemployment fraud
Police received two unemployment benefits complaints from residents in the past week, who told officers someone fraudulently used their information to file claims.
In these cases the Department of Labor is notified of the fraud and the victims are advised to monitor their credit.
Credit card fraud
A 35-year-old Monroe woman told police she discovered two fraudulent charges on her American Express card Wednesday.
Charges of a little over $265 and $12 were made on the Walmart website. Police said she canceled both orders, but still has to report the fraud to her credit card company. She was also advised to monitor her credit going forward.
To prevent check fraud, I use check-safe pens (Signo by Uniball). The ink cannot bleached out. Don’t leave outgoing mail in your mailbox for USPS to pick up. Drive to the post office and put in the mail slot inside the post office, not a post Box.