Nefarious Hacking, Punctured Tires, Unflushed Toilet: West Des Moines Police Blotter

Resident Notices Unauthorized Bank Transactions
Alexander Staroselsky, 24, of the 5800 block of Coachlight Drive reported to West Des Moines police that he noticed transactions on his Wells Fargo Bank account that he did not authorize. He notified his bank, canceled the account and place a fraud alert with credit reporting agencies.

Officer Dan Paulson said in his report the transactions were for online purchases and “it appeared the perpetrators had obtained Saroselsky’s account info by some nefarious hacking method.”

Tires Punctured in Two Unrelated Incidents
Police are looking for a female suspect they believe slashed four tires on a Jeep Wrangler parked in the 9000 block of Bridgewood Boulevard. The owner, Lisa R. Graziano, said neighbors reported seeing a woman with long hair wearing a hooded sweatshirt running from the Jeep after loud pops of air were heard.

She was seen getting into a blueish gray Dodge or Chrysler minivan and leaving the area at a high rate of speed. The loss was estimated at $500.

On March 3, police took a report from Kasey Ken Keltner, 30, of Columbus Junction, who said two tires on his 2013 Ford F150 pickup were slashed in the parking lot of Cattoor’s on Grand, 1306 Grand Ave.

Officer Jess Bill wrote in his report that Keltner left the business around midnight and noticed the tire pressure gauge was illuminated on the dashboard. He told police he found two tires were flat.

“Let Me In, Let Me In”
A 37-year-old woman who lives in the 8600 block of Westown Parkway reported to police that she returned home Saturday morning to find someone had kicked in or forced open her door. The woman said nothing was missing, but clothing had been thrown around her bedroom. The woman said the intruder had urinated in the toilet and neglected to flush it.

A neighbor told Officer Tom Wynn that she had been awoken about 4:45 a.m. by a man yelling “Let me in, let me in!” and pounding on the door. She said sh heard someone inside the apartment throwing things around.

The victim said she thought an intoxicated man may have gotten in the wrong apartment. She recently moved to town and does not know many people in West Des Moines. 

Neighbors Referred to Mediation
Police took a report from April Gayle Linder of the 700 block of Ninth Street, who alleged that a 16-year-old neighbor used a slingshot March 3 to shoot rocks toward her home and vehicle. Linder provided video of the incident, but the suspect was unidentifiable, according to Officer Rob Weir.

The rocks matched landscaping rocks at the neighbor’s property.

Weir was called to the residence again about more rocks being thrown at the front door. Weir referred all parties involved to the Polk County Neighborhood Mediation Service.

Meth Turns up in Shoplighting Case
Cynthia Lee Johnson, 28, of Stuart was charged with possession of methamphetamine after West Des Moines police were called to Gordman’s department store, 1400 22nd St., to investigate a report of shoplifting on March 3.

Josh Little, a loss-prevention employee at Gordman’s, said closed-circuit surveillance cameras allegedly showed the suspect putting 15 pieces of merchandise in her purse. She made a legal purchase, then left and was confronted by Little.

While searching her handbag, police found a clear plastic pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine, and a bag containing 1.7 grams of the drug. Johnson was taken to the Polk County Jail.