Police Blotter: Has Goldilocks Been Pillaging In West Des Moines?

Is Goldilocks up to her old tricks again?

Probably not.

There’s nothing in Robert Southey’s 1837 classic children’s story even remotely suggesting Goldi was a smoker.

That lingering tell-tale odor of tobacco smoke is what alerted a 56-year-old West Des Moines woman that someone had been smoking in her 88th Street apartment.

Much as Goldilocks swiped a pot of porridge, the West Des Moines woman noticed some of her food was missing, according to Officer Jess Bill’s report on file at the West Des Moines Police Department. The victim then put a padlock on the refrigerator door to keep the intruder from eating her out of house and home.

That’s not all that went wrong while the woman was away. Oxycodone, prescribed after a recent surgery, was missing.

The fuel gauge on her car also registered near empty three days after she had filled it up, even though she hadn’t been driving.

Police believe they know the identity of the intruder. Like Goldilocks, he left behind some clues. A search history on her computer revealed the suspect had filled out and signed a college application and had played some online games.

Third-degree burglary charges are being pursued, according to the report.