Law Roundup: It’s raining gourds in Columbia Falls

A woman called the Columbia Falls Police Department after a man she had a history with showed up at her home and began throwing pumpkins from the porch. The woman told officers that he also grabbed his car, which he was not supposed to do without law enforcement on hand.

Not content with just smashing pumpkins, he also allegedly threw away a hanging flower pot, she said.

A “very rude” man riding a moped drew the ire of an individual working on Talbot Road. The employee said the man drove recklessly through the area and was now sitting on the moped in a parking lot. Further, the worker found the man untrustworthy and asked for law enforcement contact and an extra patrol of the area through the night.

Officers headed to a local school for a report of a male with a gun in the parking lot. Confronted, the male told authorities he was going hunting with friends and thought nothing of being in the school parking lot with a gun. Officers noted that the male was home schooled. He was apologetic after being counseled on the severity of bringing firearms onto school grounds.

Authorities retrieved a brown backpack left on a bench for reportedly upwards of 20 minutes.

Officers arrested a man allegedly caught by employees trying to shoplift from a local grocery store. A search of the man’s criminal history turned up no prior theft convictions. He was released on his own recognizance soon after, but trespassed from the supermarket chain.

Another accused shoplifter took off on a bicycle with store loss prevention personnel trailing behind. Officers were unable to locate the woman.

Concerned with her daughter’s health, a mother contacted authorities asking for a welfare check. The younger woman was homeless and, at last sighting, lost a lot of weight. The mother suspected she was living out of a Chevrolet Trailblazer.