Police keep yard sale running smoothly

A busy week for the Liberty Lake Police Department was capped off by a huge community yard sale on Saturday. Six officers were on duty that day, triple the normal number.

While traffic was heavy, there were few problems that required police attention, said police Chief Brian Asmus. A resident in the 500 block of North Homestead Drive called to report two cars blocking his driveway at 10:46 a.m. The owners were contacted and the cars were moved. Officers also came upon a car parked in the middle of Country Vista Drive, Asmus said. “Not on the shoulder, not in the bike lane, just left there,” he said. Again officers were able to find the car’s owner and have it removed.

Two juvenile males were arrested on charges of reckless driving at Country Vista Drive and Whitman Lane at 8:27 p.m. on June 3. An officer spotted the two driving separate cars going about 60 mph in a 35-mph zone, Asmus said. The two reportedly admitted they were racing.

A resident in the 25000 block of East Hawkstone Loop called police at 9:43 p.m. on June 3 to report a man who appeared to be peeking into apartment windows. The man was contacted and reportedly admitted to relieving himself alongside the building, Asmus said.

A man was reported lying down on the side of the road near Country Vista Drive and Liberty Lake Road at 9:27 a.m. on June 3. An officer contacted the man, who had a bicycle with him. The man was extremely intoxicated and couldn’t walk, Asmus said. He blew a 0.4 on a Breathalyzer test, well above the .08 legal limit, Asmus said. The man was so intoxicated that he was taken to a hospital for treatment.

A resident reported a case of identity theft at 12:30 p.m. on June 4. The victim told police that someone had opened a Verizon account in her name. Surveillance footage showed that the account was opened by two men in their 20s, Asmus said. “Apparently they’ve opened multiple accounts in multiple people’s names,” he said. The case was under investigation.

Suspicious activity was reported at a hotel in the 1800 block of Pepper Lane at 2 p.m. on June 4. A guest at the hotel reportedly had multiple visitors who only stayed a few minutes, Asmus said. Officers found a crystal-type substance in the room, Asmus said. The case was under investigation.

Employees at Albertsons called police at 3:05 p.m. on June 5 to report that they had detained a man suspected of shoplifting. Store video showed the man pretending to scan a bottle of vodka at a self-checkout station and then trying to leave the store with it, Asmus said. The same man is believed to be responsible for several other thefts at the same store, he said. “They’d seen him on video several times,” he said. The man was arrested on a charge of theft.

A man stealing several packages of meat was reported at the Safeway just after 11 p.m. Friday. The suspect ran out of the store and officers were unable to locate him, Asmus said.

During the week officers made four arrests for driving with a suspended license. They handed out two citations for parking in a no-parking zone, two for driving without a license with identification, two for failure to show proof of liability insurance, two for illegal use of studded tires, three for speeding and two for use of a cellphone. Additional citations were given for attachment of plate to vehicle, expired registration, failure to yield/left turn, second-degree negligent driving and texting while driving.