GRANDMOTHER SWINDLED OUT OF $2,500
• A 73-year-old Onalaska woman called the sheriff’s office yesterday when she realized she’d been tricked into sending $2,500 to a stranger. It happened late last month when she received a phone call from someone who identified himself as her grandson saying he was in New York where he’d gotten arrested for driving under the influence and needed the funds to get out of jail and get back to his base in Utah, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Rob Snaza said the caller sounded sounded like the victim’s grandson who is in the military residing in Utah. The caller put his “attorney” on the phone, who helped arrange for the grandmother to wire the money via a local Western Union service, according to Snaza. She subsequently has been in contact with her grandson and discovered it was not him, according to the sheriff’s office. Snaza says the sheriff’s office urges folks if they are ever suspicious of something that could be a scam to call 911. Investigators are trying to figure out how the caller knew the young man’s details, Snaza said, but cautioned people might consider personal information they post online in places such as Facebook.
VEHICLE THEFT
• A green 2001 Honda Accord was reported stolen from a residence on the 100 block of West Roanoke Street in Centralia yesterday. The missing car has a black fender on its passenger side, according to the Centralia Police Department.
VEHICLE PROWL
• Police were called about 12:20 p.m. yesterday about a car prowl in which someone stole a stereo from the 100 block of Virginia Drive in Centralia.
VANDALISM
• Chehalis police were called yesterday to a home on Southwest Gales Avenue where the 30-year-old resident said someone cut the wires on his house for the telephone and internet overnight. There is no suspect, according to police.
DRUGS
• A 41-year-old Centralia man picked up on a warrant overnight was allegedly found with a zipper case in his pocket that contained suspected methamphetamine and scales. Harold J. Bland was taken in to custody about 1:50 a.m. at a gas station on the 1200 block of Mellen Street in Centralia, according to police. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession with intent to deliver, Sgt. Kurt Reichert said.
AND OTHER STUFF
• Also, as usual, various arrests for outstanding warrants, and misdemeanors such as shoplifting and marijuana.