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Purdue police investigate sexual assault, battery

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:59:56 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are investigating a sexual assault and an unrelated battery that occurred early Saturday (Sept. 19).

The sexual assault took place around 1:17 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 19) in the 200 block of University Street. Purdue Police Chief John Cox said a woman reported that she was posing for a picture with a group of friends when a man walked up from behind and fondled her. When the woman screamed, the man released her and left the area heading east.

Officers from the Purdue and West Lafayette police departments arrived and searched the area, including the nearby University Street Parking Garage, but were unable to find anyone matching the description provided by the woman.

The assailant was described as a dark-skinned man with dark, short, curly hair. He was wearing a tight, white, fitted T-shirt and gray pants.

The battery, which occurred in the 300 block of Waldron St., took place shortly after midnight. The victim told police there had been a fight, and he had been hit on the head. Cox said the injuries were minor and that the victim declined medical treatment.

The suspect was described as a white male approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 175 pounds. He had facial hair on the bottom of his chin and short blond hair. He was wearing a white shirt under a black, hooded, zip-up sweatshirt with gold markings on the sleeves, jeans and a teal baseball cap worn backwards.

Anyone with additional information about these incidents is asked to contact the Purdue University Police Department at 765-494-8221.

Two Purdue students arrested after reports of shots fired

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:59:33 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Two Purdue University students were arrested in connection with an incident in which a handgun was fired into the air at around 12:30 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 19).

Brothers Evan and Alex A. Freese were arrested after an investigation by Purdue and West Lafayette police. Evan Freese, 20, of 241, Apt. 10, Sheetz Street, West Lafayette, faces a preliminary charge of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon. Alex Freese, 18, also of 241, Apt. 10, Sheetz St., faces a preliminary charge of providing false information.

Officers from the two departments responded to calls about fireworks or shots possibly being fired either in the area of South University and Harrison streets or near Marstellar and Harrison streets. Police were initially unable to locate the source of the sounds, but later received an anonymous e-mail that indicated shots were fired and provided a location.

Purdue Police Chief John Cox said Evan Freese told police he fired several shots from a 9mm handgun into the air from his apartment balcony. Cox said officers recovered firearms and ammunition from the apartment, as well as shell casings on the ground outside the apartment.

“Firing a weapon like this is extremely dangerous,” Cox said. “We were very fortunate that no one was injured.”

Criminal Recklessness is a Class C felony punishable by up to eight years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. False informing as a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $5,000.

West Lafayette man charged with injuring infant

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:53:32 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police arrested a West Lafayette man early Tuesday (Sept. 1) after he allegedly injured an 11-month-old girl in the Purdue Village Apartment Complex hours earlier.

Eric M. Ellis, 19, was charged with battery resulting in bodily injury to a person younger than 14 years old and neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injuries. Ellis, who is not a Purdue student, lives at the apartment with his fiancé, who is the girl’s mother.

According to a police report, Ellis had been babysitting for the child while her mother was attending classes on Monday (Aug. 31). Ellis reportedly sent a text message at about 6:00p to the woman telling her that her child was injured. When the mother arrived home, the couple took her to Home Hospital in Lafayette.

The child’s injuries were not life threatening, but police and Child Protective Services were called to the hospital, Purdue police Sgt. Carrie Costello said.

Battery resulting in bodily injury to a person younger than 14 is a Class D felony, punishable by a maximum three years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury is a Class C felony, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Purdue police investigate laptop computer thefts

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:32:50 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are investigating the theft of seven laptops from a Stewart Center computer store during the weekend.

The computers were taken from the Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP) Offline Shopping Center in Stewart Center. The center is a vendor showcase where customers can examine the latest computer equipment.

The computers were taken from the Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP) Offline Shopping Center in Stewart Center, Room G65, sometime after 6:00p Saturday (July 18) and before 10:30a Sunday (July 19), said Purdue police Lt. Fred Davis. The center is a vendor showcase where customers can examine the latest computer equipment.

One of the door’s glass window panes was pried loose, and a note saying “sorry” was left on the wall.

The stolen laptops include a black Dell Latitude D 430 laptop, a red Dell XPS M1330 laptop, a white MacBook laptop, a black Apple MacBook Pro laptop, black Dell Latitude 6500 laptop, a black Dell Latitude 6400 and a silver MacBook Air laptop. The missing computers are valued at $9,965.

Anyone with information can contact the Purdue Police Department at (765) 494-8221 or the anonymous tip line at (765) 496-3784.

Purdue police investigate bogus checks scam

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:20:05 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue police are investigating a scam in which people are being sent bogus checks with overages to be returned to the sender.

Most of the fake checks, which the sender claims are from the university, have been sent to people across the United States who have posted resumes on Craigslist, said Purdue police Lt. Fred Davis.

Purdue police are investigating a scam in which people are being sent bogus checks with overages to be returned to the sender.

In some cases, either an email or letter has been sent informing a person that he or she was accepted for a work-from-home position with the university and that a check would be forwarded to them. Recipients have been instructed to cash the check, keep a few hundred dollars, and send the remainder from the check back to the sender via wire transfer.

The bogus checks have been usually for $1,200, $1,950 or $2,000, Davis said. People residing in Texas, Arizona, New Jersey, Oregon and Missouri have been recipients, and with the exception of one instance reported to Purdue police, all have posted resumes on Craigslist.

Some of the checks have been sent by certified mail from a post office in Brighton, Colo., Davis said. Some of the checks have listed a Purdue address and the phone number 765-494-4611, which is to a university laboratory. The lab has received several calls, Davis said. He said other universities have reported experiencing the same type of fraudulent activity.

Davis said there are no known cases in which people have cashed the checks and lost money. Anyone receiving a suspicious check should contact the Purdue Police Department at 765-494-8221.

Purdue police seek suspect in attempted robbery

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:41:28 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are looking for a man involved in an attempted robbery that occurred Wednesday (June 24) in a gravel parking lot north of the Marsteller Street Parking Garage.

A woman was in the parking lot at about 5:00p when she was approached by a man who motioned that he wanted her purse. When he attempted to grab the purse, she fled to her car and left. She was not injured.

The suspect left the area heading south toward Wood Street. He was described as being dark-skinned and 18 to 22 years old with shaggy hair. He was wearing a blue polo short and gray shorts.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Purdue Police Department at 765-494-8221.

Man arrested for attempting to steal dog sculpture; police recover 1 previously taken

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:15:09 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police on Sunday (May 10) arrested a man on several charges, including the attempted theft of a dog sculpture that is part of the Dog Days of Summer community art project. Police also recovered one of two sculptures previously reported stolen.

Adam Sachs, 20, a sophomore in the College of Engineering from St. Louis, was taken to Tippecanoe County Jail on preliminary charges of public intoxication, consumption of alcohol by a minor, criminal mischief and attempted theft.

According to a police report, an officer saw Sachs shortly before 3:30 a.m. attempting to steal the dog sculpture “El Perro” that was located on campus near the intersection of Grant Street and Northwestern Avenue. Sachs was carrying a toolbox with him when he was arrested, according to the report. The statue was not damaged.

In addition to Sunday’s attempted theft, two of the 41 dog sculptures decorated by area artists as part of the art project were stolen late Friday (May 8) or early Saturday (May 9). Police do not believe Sachs was involved in the previous thefts.

On Sunday afternoon, police recovered one of those sculptures – “Give a Dog a Bone, an X-RAY View” by artist Liz Rainey. A passerby called police after spotting the artwork behind foliage outside the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine’s Lynn Hall, near the location from which the dog was originally taken. Nicknamed “Oliver” by students, the sculpture was sponsored through contributions from students, faculty and staff in honor of the School of Veterinary Medicine’s 50th anniversary.

“It’s great that Oliver has been recovered,” said Kevin Doerr, the School of Veterinary Medicine’s director of alumni relations and public affairs. “Everyone loved this beautifully painted dog, and having it back safely at the school is a tremendous encouragement. It appears to be in excellent condition except for the leg that was broken by the person who removed the sculpture from its mounting location.”

Police are still attempting to find the final missing dog. “Alfie the Alpha Dog,” decorated by artist Janet Combs Ivas, was taken from the Northwestern Avenue side of the West Lafayette Public Library.

Doerr said a reward of up to $250 was being offered for its safe return.

Anyone with information related to the thefts is asked to contact Purdue police at 765-494-8221 or the anonymous tip line at 765-496-3784.

The School of Veterinary Medicine and the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette partnered on the project that placed decorated life-size dog statues throughout Lafayette and West Lafayette.

In addition to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the school, the project also is a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette and benefits both equally. The Dog Days of Summer builds upon previous sculpture projects in the community: Hog Wild in 2003 and Frog Follies in 2005. This new project was inspired by the School of Veterinary Medicine’s outdoor sculpture “Continuum” by Larry Anderson, which features a dog as part of its array of people and animals in a depiction of the enduring human-animal bond.

Artists from Indiana and other areas were recruited to decorate three-dimensional dog forms. Corporations, business owners, veterinarians and individuals have sponsored the individual dogs.

Proceeds from the project will benefit the School of Veterinary Medicine’s 50th Anniversary Scholarship Endowment and its Good Samaritan Fund, and the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette’s art education programs.

Traffic offense leads to alcohol, drug charges for Logansport man

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 02:40:56 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A Logansport man stopped for driving the wrong way on a one-way street early Sunday (Feb. 15) is facing alcohol and drug-related charges.

Thomas S. Vernon, 23, has been charged with operating while intoxicated, dealing in marijuana, possession of marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance. He is not a Purdue student.

According to a report, Purdue police patrol officer Travis Neal saw Vernon turn east from Grant Street onto State Street around 3:45 a.m. Sunday. At that location, Grant Street is open only to westbound traffic. Vernon was stopped for driving the wrong way, and he was initially arrested for suspicion of drunken driving.

One small bag of marijuana was later found in Vernon’s shoe, said Purdue police detective Sgt. Carrie Costello. Two additional bags of marijuana were discovered in the trunk of his 1998 Chevrolet Blazer, she said. The bags contained a total of about three pounds of marijuana, according to the police report. A person in possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana or allegedly selling it can be charged with dealing.

Three of the charges – the dealing and possession of marijuana charges and maintaining a common nuisance – are Class D felonies punishable by up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.

Purdue Armory reopened after police investigate suspicious package

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:13:24 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue Armory was evacuated for about 90 minutes Monday morning (Nov. 17) after university police evacuated the facility when a suspicious container was found on the building’s north side.

Police evacuated the Armory and closed off northbound University Street at Third Street shortly after the call came in at about 8:45 a.m. Purdue police Lt. Mike Boesch said approximately 100-150 people were evacuated. Both University Street and the Armory were reopened about 10:15 a.m.

Boesch said that at about 8:45 a.m. a groundskeeper found the small, military ammunition-type box atop a plastic toolbox near a bush on the north side of the Armory. The box was about 6 inches wide, 12 inches long and 8 inches tall. The groundskeeper opened the box, which contained black powder and other commonly available reloading supplies for a muzzleloading-type gun.

The Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad took the package from the scene, and Purdue police continue to investigate the incident.

Purdue Police: Be cautious in construction areas

admin — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:56:02 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Lafayette Online) — The Purdue Police Department reminds faculty and staff to be cautious and obey all stop signs and traffic control devices on the West Lafayette campus, particularly along Harrison Street between South Russell Drive and South Martin Jischke Drive.

Due to construction in the area, traffic has been realigned and lanes have been narrowed along Harrison Street.

The Police Department has noticed an increase in the number of vehicles ignoring the stop signs and traffic control devices in that area, increasing the chances for a serious accident. To help with safety, the police will be aggressively patrolling the area throughout the coming weeks.

Lafayette Online » purdue university police department

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