Law roundup: Employees try to iron out theft case

Stumbling across an online post featuring a waffle iron, an employee of a hotel suspected it might be the very same waffle maker that had earlier gone missing from the business. They alerted the Kalispell Police Department to the listing, but acknowledged they were unsure if it was the same piece of kitchenware. Officers waited while the employee tried to dig up the serial number of the missing waffle iron.  

Someone passing by a doughnut shop phoned the police concerned that the owners were ignoring the hazard their treats were posing to the public. The caller told officers that the line to the drive-thru extended into a busy intersection. Responding officers noted that the intersection was clear of traffic.  

Accused of stealing apple juice from a convenience store on the city's west end, a man began yelling at employees, who subsequently alerted the police. When officers arrived they learned it all stemmed from a misunderstanding and no crime had occurred. They were unable to locate the man.  

Spotting an individual either unconscious or sleeping in front of a guitar store, a passerby phoned the police. Officers determined the man was catching a few winks and moved him along at the behest of the caller.  

Shutting the door of a car a little too forcefully sparked an apparent fight between two friends. The pair were separated.  

A person previously barred from private property returned to yell at people and wave at vehicles. The landowner asked the press charges against the man.  

A caller told the police that a drug deal was going down at a neighbor's house, but later acknowledged it was an assumption on their part. 

Officers checked out a dog left in a vehicle after receiving a report of animal cruelty. They noted the windows were cracked and the dog appeared healthy. The animal's owner told them that the dog does not like people. She said she parked in the shade, left the animal water and was checking in on it regularly.  

The general manager of an apparently dilapidated building reported vandals breaking a window and requested that officers clear the site. Authorities told them that given the state of the structure, which included black mold, asbestos and other health hazards, they would not be doing a full sweep. They also noted that it would be difficult to prove anything was broken given the condition of the building.  

The barking of unattended dogs prompted hotel employees to ask the police for help. They said that leaving animals behind without supervision went against the hotel's policy and that attempts to raise the guests by phone were unsuccessful. They also worried that the dogs had been abandoned. Officers, though, noted that the guest was scheduled to check out the next day and, given the time, was likely out for dinner. They recommended the employees give it a few more hours.