1. Issue #222, Friday January 22, 2016
Police Blotter: 01/04/16 - 01/17/16
Public Relations 219-942-1125 x 1070
www.cityofhobart.org
Hobart Police Department
705 E. 4th St. Hobart, IN 46342
Neighborhood Watch Program
Partners in Public Safety
H.P.D.Bi-WeeklyNewsletter
PUBLICRELATIONS
Chief Rick Zormier
MESSAGE FROM OUR CHIEF
For those that may have not heard through the grapevine, Lieutenant Jack Grennes will serve
his last day in the workplace on February 1, 2016. Lt. Grennes is quickly approaching his
intended 20-year retirement date. While many of us will miss Jack’s service to the community
through the police department, his service to the community, as a whole, will continue with his
full-time vocational teaching contract with the School City of Hobart. Jack will continue to
teach an array of criminal justice courses at the Hobart High School.
Along the way, Jack has helped us build on our relationship with our Hobart Schools. After 3
years in patrol services, Jack was reassigned as a D.A.R.E. officer in 1999. Jack provided
DARE education to the 5th grade classes of the Hobart public schools, as well as, both Trinity
Lutheran and St. Bridget’s Catholic Schools in the city. Jack really found his passion in training
and mentoring our community’s youth. In 2013, he converted his DARE teaching to Too
Good for Drugs and Violence, which is an evidenced-based approach to teach kids how to
make better choices. In 17 years of teaching 5th grade students, there is now a whole genera-
tion of Hobart youth who had the pleasure of being his student.
In addition to DARE and Too Good for Drugs, Jack is a certified law enforcement instructor
through the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board. He has been one of the lead instruc-
tors in police bicycle patrol and operations training in Northwest Indiana. During his tenure,
he initiated the Senior Safety Call Network, implemented the Prescription Drug Drop Box
program in Hobart, began the City of Hobart’s involvement in National Night Out Program,
and forged ahead from the very beginning with this very newsletter.
This brief letter cannot do justice in mentioning all the things that Lt. Jack Grennes has done
for the Hobart Police Department. His responsibilities often extended beyond the normal
work day, between Child ID events, Neighborhood Watch, other speaking engagements, as
well as, having coached both youth tennis and basketball.
As I stated earlier, Jack will continue in his vocational instruction at the high school, and he will
be involved in some Too Good for Drugs and Violence instruction this spring. While we have
began preparing our future Too Good for Drugs and Violence instructors, we also will find
ways to continue this newsletter and the many other important public service programs that Lt.
Grennes was able to initiate. We congratulate Lt. Jack Grennes for his 20 years of service with
the police department and wish him well in his venture with our partners at the School City of
Hobart.
2. Page 2 H.P.D. BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
DID YOU
KNOW?
Winter
Weather
Each winter,
Indiana is im-
pacted by several
life-threatening
and commerce-
disrupting snow
storms, ice
storms, and
floods, as well as
strong wind
storms.
On Valentine’s
Day 2015, bliz-
zard like condi-
tions from high
winds and snow
squalls resulted in
deadly vehicle
pile-ups in Indi-
ana.
From February
14-20, 2014, Indi-
ana experienced
wild swings in the
weather bringing
snow, severe
thunderstorms,
tornadoes and
floods.
Indiana has ex-
perienced winter
storms of such
magnitude that
federal assistance
was required in
fifteen of the past
thirty-seven years.
All Hoosiers are
potentially at risk
during winter,
whether from
accidents related
to snow and ice,
damage from
floods, wind
storms, torna-
does, or exposure
to cold or
extended loss of
power from an ice
storm.
Found Property
January 7, 2016
Bike Found
500 block S. Lake
Park Ave.
(Pavese Park E.
Entrance)
Question in
regards to found
property please
call: 942-1125
Ext. 1067
A Cute and Cuddly Rip Off? It’s a Puppy Scam!
Are you planning to get a puppy this new year? Watch out for fake websites preying on
would-be pet owners.
How the Scam Works:
You want to buy a puppy, so you look online for breeders. You come across a website that appears to be
run by a dog breeder who has puppies for sale. There are photos of the puppies and guarantees of their
health and vaccinations. There’s even a section about the breeders with glowing testimonials. The prices
of these puppies are lower than those of other breeders (or perhaps even free).
You email the breeder. The puppy is still available, the breeder is happy to ship him or her to you. All
you need to do is use a wire transfer (or other untraceable method) to send money to the “breeder.”
Then, he or she will ship you your new dog.
Don’t do it! The scammer won’t send the puppy, because the dog doesn’t exist. The scammer simply
stole the pictures and other information from a legitimate breeder’s website.
Tips to avoid a puppy scam:
• Always visit the breeder. Responsible breeders and rescue groups will be more than happy to
offer you a tour.
• Search for website warning signs. The reason fake breeder websites look real is because the
content is typically stolen from another site. Look for duplicate sites by copying a line from the
website into a search engine and looking for identical wording elsewhere on the Internet. Also,
search for the domain name on “WHOIS Lookup.” Make sure the site is hosted in the country
where the breeders claim to be located.
• Pick your puppy up at the kennel. Don’t rely on the breeder to ship the puppy.
Check references. Talk to others who have purchased pets from this breeder and the veterinarian
the breeder works with.
• Pay with check or credit card. If a breeder pressures you to pay by wire transfer or prepaid
debitcard, it is probably a scam.
To find out more about other scams, check out BBB Scam Stopper (bbb.org/scam). To report a scam,
go to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker).
Hobart Residents:
After reading the first page of this newsletter, you should know
that Lt. Jack Grennes is retiring. For years you have addressed
your questions and concerns about the newsletter and scams to
his email address (jgrennes@cityofhobart.org). We are now
asking you to direct those inquiries to
HPDnews@cityofhobart.org. The newsletter will also begin to be
sent out from this email address so be sure to look for it every
other Friday. If you have any questions
you may also call us
here at 942-1125 Ext. 1070.
3. Page 3ISSUE 222, FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016
HOBART POLICE BLOTTER January 04, 2016 - January 17, 2016, 199 Citations, 76 Traffic
Accidents, 21 Warrant Arrests, 8 K-9 Usage, 20 Shoplifting Incidents, 20 Ordinance Violations,
14 Animal Complaints, 2 Medical Incidents, 7 Driving Impaired, and 945 Calls For Service
01/04, 3:44am, Disorderly, 3700 block Colbourne St., subject arrested
01/04, 11:51am, Theft, 8100 block E. 37th Ave., theft of a wallet
01/04, 12:17pm, Harassment, 1600 block Northwind Pkwy., threats made by known subject
01/04, 1:27pm, Domestic Disturbance, Police Station Report, report taken
01/04, 5:00pm, Theft, 2600 block E. 81st Ave., Target, no description
01/04, 5:34pm, Intimidation, 3100 bloc W. Old Ridge Rd., threats made by known subject
01/04, 6:02pm, Theft, 2200 block Southlake Mall, theft of clothing from vehicle
01/04, 7:06pm, Overdose, 200 block S. Colorado St., subject transported to hospital
01/04, 8:15pm, Disorderly, Southlake Mall, subject arrested
01/04, 8:55pm, Juvenile Problem, Southlake Mall, no description
01/05, 6:55am, Sex Offense, 4100 block Alabama St., no description
01/05, 8:47am, Threats, 400 block N. Lawrence St., threats made by known subject
01/05, 9:33am, Fraud, 400 block W. 14th St., report taken
01/05, 9:57am, Theft, 100 block N. Hobart Rd., theft of several items from residence
01/05, 10:03am, Theft, 300 block N. County Line Rd., preneed burial
01/05, 11:18am, Burglary, 400 block W. 14th St., theft of clothing
01/05, 11:19am, Drugs, W. 37th Ave. & Roche St., no description
01/05, 5:30pm, Battery, 1000 block W. 38th Pl., subject arrested
01/05, 6:54pm, Fraud, 3900 block E. 34th Ct., attempted fraudulent purchase with subjects debit card
01/05, 7:38pm, Domestic Disturbance, 3800 block W. 39th Ave., verbal altercation between known subjects
01/05, 8:51pm, Suicide Attempt, 2900 block W. 49th Ave., subject transported to hospital
01/06, 9:33am, Criminal Mischief, 200 block N. Ash St., vehicle keyed
01/06, 11:01am, Theft, 2900 block E. 79th Ave., theft of wallet
01/06, 12:14pm, Death Investigation, 7300 block Gibson St., deceased female subject
01/06, 12:53pm, Fraud, 3400 block Randolph Pl., attempted fraudulent purchase on credit card
01/06, 2:34pm, Harassment, Police Station Report, harassing text messages
01/06, 2:53pm, Domestic Disturbance, 1600 block High St., subject arrested
01/06, 3:49pm, Criminal Mischief, 500 block S. Lake Park Ave., Pavese Park, window broken out of bathroom
01/06, 4:52pm, Fraud, 3900 block W. 37th Ave., Marathon, fraudulent credit card purchase
01/06, 5:14pm, Harassment, 400 block S. Liberty St., harassing phone calls from known subject
01/06, 5:56pm, Theft, 3800 block Howard St., theft of package from porch
01/06, 6:38pm, Forgery, 1900 block Southlake Mall, counterfeit US currency used to make purchase
01/06, 7:05pm, Missing Person, 200 block N. Pennsylvania St., subject located
01/06, 8:00pm, Identity Theft, Police Station Report, report taken
01/06, 10:58pm, Domestic Battery, 400 block Softwood Dr., report taken
01/07, 12:54am, Disturbance, 4700 block W. 61st Ave., Speedway, irate customer
01/07, 4:47am, Fight, 2700 block W. 38th Ave., known subjects in altercation
01/07, 11:49am, Theft, 2900 block E. 79th Ave., no description
01/07, 2:37pm, Theft, 3700 block Parker St., theft of several items from vehicle
01/07, 5:03pm, Trespassing, 2400 block E. 79th Ave., Best Buy, subject issued trespass warning
01/07, 7:47pm, Drugs, Police Station Report, subject arrested
01/08, 6:54am, Criminal Mischief, 1200 block W. 37th Pl., damage to window of vehicle
01/08, 7:54am, Criminal Mischief, 400 block E. Hansen Blvd., several vehicles egged
01/08, 11:19am, Theft, 1400 block W. 3rd St., theft of items from residence
01/08, 2:24pm, Harassment, Police Station Report, threats made by known subject
01/08, 3:06pm, Domestic Disturbance, 0 block Victor Dr., verbal altercation
01/08, 7:08pm, Disturbance, 2200 block Southlake Mall, male subject arrested
01/09, 9:32am, Fraud, 1900 block E. 80th Ave., McDonald’s, attempted use of counterfeit US currency
01/09, 9:40am, Domestic Disturbance, 0 block Cleveland Ave., altercation between known subjects
4. Page 4 H.P.D. BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Police Blotter Continued
01/09, 10:49am, Criminal Mischief, 3800 block Maitland St., brick thrown through back window of residence
01/09, 2:29pm, Battery, Police Station Report, no description
01/09, 3:40pm, Threats, 300 block Dearborn St., report taken
01/09, 5:12pm, Threats, 2800 block E. 81st Ave., no description
01/09, 5:38pm, Fraud, 2100 block Southlake Mall, Albert’s, fraudulent account opened
01/09, 6:42pm, Theft, 2900 block E. 80th Ave., theft of cell phone
01/09, 9:05pm, Drugs, W. 37th Ave. & Montgomery St., no description
01/09, 10:13pm, Domestic Disturbance, 2000 block Dogwood Trl., no description
01/09, 1:44pm, Fraud, 2100 block Southlake Mall, theft of wallet/fraudulent purchases made
01/10, 5:10pm, Domestic Disturbance, 300 block Ruta Dr., subject transported to hospital
01/10, 5:38pm, Theft, 1600 block E. 81st Ave., theft of vehicle from known subject
01/11, 8:30am, Theft, 2200 block E. 10th St., theft of chromebook charger
01/11, 8:45am, Burglary, 600 block N. Wisconsin St., Cressmoor Country Club, forced entry to business/business ransacked
01/11, 11:05am, Fraud, 3100 block E. 81st Ave., fraudulent use of debit card
01/11, 12:07pm, Disorderly, 400 block Main St., City Hall, irate male subject
01/11, 3:04pm, Fraud, 2400 block E. 79th Ave., Best Buy, male subject arrested
01/11, 5:14pm, Juvenile Problem, 2700 block W. 49th Ave., no description
01/11, 5:57pm, Fraud, 2400 block E. 79th Ave., Best Buy, subject attempted to open a fraudulent cellular account
01/11, 5:57pm, Battery, 2400 block E. 79th Ave., no description
01/11, 6:37pm, Battery, 600 block W. 37th Ave., subject arrested
01/11, 7:57pm, Runaway Juvenile, 4000 block Howard St., no description
01/11, 8:43pm, Overdose, 900 block E. Cleveland Ave., subject transported to hospital
01/12, 8:48am, Theft, 3000 block W. 38th Ave., theft of wallet from vehicle
01/12, 11:38am, Fraud, 400 block S. Shelby St., fraudulent unemployment
01/12, 11:43am, Harassment, Police Station Report, harassing texts and phone calls from unknown subject
01/12, 12:41pm, Trespassing, Police Station Report, no description
01/12, 12:45pm, Theft, 4700 block W. 61st., theft of purse
01/12, 1:27pm, Burglary, 300 block N. Virginia St., forced entry/theft of several items from residence
01/12, 1:52pm, Theft, Police Station Report, no description
01/12, 3:29pm, Drugs, I65 S., no description
01/12, 4:09pm, Intimidation, 300 block N. Wabash St., no description
01/12, 5:12pm, Missing Person, 400 Center St., subject located
01/12, 6:35pm, Criminal Mischief, 100 block Victor Dr., tires slashed on vehicle
01/12, 7:55pm, Theft, 2900 block E. 79th Ave., Walmart, three subjects arrested
01/12, 11:13pm, Disturbance, 600 block W. 37th Ave., no description
01/13, 1:29am, Trespassing, 4000 block Howard St., three subjects issued trespass warnings
01/13, 8:29am, Theft, Police Station Report, no description
01/13, 11:52am, Intoxication, 700 block N. Hobart Rd., no description
01/13, 1:58pm, Fraud, 100 block S. Wisconsin St., identity theft
01/13, 1:58pm, Trespassing, 2300 block W. Old Ridge Rd., subject not located
01/13, 2:08pm, Domestic Disturbance, 1500 block Lincoln St., no description
01/13, 3:33pm, Domestic Disturbance, 100 block N. Ash St., altercation between known subjects
01/13, 5:06pm, Fraud, Police Station Report, identity theft
01/13, 5:48pm, Domestic Disturbance, 1000 block W. 11th St., altercation between known subjects
01/13, 6:08pm, Theft, 0 block Beverly Blvd., theft of wallet
01/13, 6:25pm, Harassment, 3900 block E. 80th Pl., harassment from known subjects
01/13, 6:56pm, Disturbance, 7700 block E. 37th Ave., no description
01/13, 8:55pm, Battery, 4000 block Howard St., report taken
01/14, 8:23am, Juvenile Problem, Police Station Report, no description
01/14, 9:44am, Threats, 200 block Brandt Pl., threats through text message by known subject
01/14, 12:47pm, Child in Need of Services, 2200 block E. 10th St., no description
01/14, 6:11pm, Domestic Disturbance, 4700 block W. 61st Ave., verbal altercation
5. Page 5
H.P.D. BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Police Blotter Continued
01/15, 4:05am, Death Investigation, 1000 block W. 39th Pl., no description
01/15, 9:42am, Battery, Police Station Report, report taken
01/15, 10:04am, Theft, 5400 block E. Lincoln Hwy., theft of Ipad
01/15, 10:31am, Child in Need of Services, 600 block W. 37th Ave., no description
01/15, 12:24pm, Theft, 2600 block Crabapple Ln., theft of vehicle from known subject
01/15, 12:28pm, Harassment, Police Station Report, harassment from known subject
01/15, 12:38pm, Battery, 1100 block W. 37th Ave., subject arrested
01/15, 1:58pm, Juvenile Problem, 600 block W. 37th Ave., no description
01/15, 3:43pm, Theft, 2500 block Southlake Mall, theft of display unit from vehicle
01/15, 4:16pm, Disturbance, W. Old Ridge Rd., subjects in vehicle in altercation
01/15, 4:52pm, Theft, 600 block W. 37th Ave., no description
01/15, 5:48pm, Theft, 7700 block Clay St., theft of several items from vehicle
01/15, 9:21pm, Theft, 2400 block E. 79th Ave., Best Buy, theft of vehicle from parking lot
01/15, 9:46pm, Domestic Disturbance, 900 block W. 37th Ave., verbal altercation
01/16, 1:13am, Disturbance, 1400 block Swift St., verbal altercation
01/16, 4:17am, Intoxication, 1400 block Swift St., subject given ride to residence
01/16, 11:30pm, Burglary Attempt, 4200 block E. 81st Ave., cable cut to business sign/foot prints around building
01/16, 12:16pm, Missing Person, 6800 block Meadow View Ln., subject located
01/16, 1:04pm, Theft, 2200 block Southlake Mall, Gamestop, theft from business
01/16, 2:17pm, Theft, Police Station Report, theft of jewelry
01/16, 3:41pm, Domestic Disturbance, 7900 block E. 37th Ave., altercation between known subjects
01/16, 4:49pm, Theft, 2900 block E. 79th Ave., Walmart, subjects arrested
01/16, 6:27pm, Criminal Mischief, 0 block Neringa Ln., damage to gas cap of vehicle
01/16, 7:05pm, Theft, 100 block N. Hobart Rd., no description
01/16, 8:41pm, Runaway Juvenile, 3800 Montgomery St., no description
01/16, 9:27pm, Domestic Disturbance, 800 block S. Lake Park Ave., altercation between known subjects
01/16, 9:46pm, Theft, 1600 block Southlake Mall., vehicle located
01/16, 10:33pm, Criminal Mischief, 2500 block Southlake Mall, hole in window of vehicle
01/17, 1:29pm, Overdose, 500 block Shelby St., no description
01/17, 1:55pm, Runaway Juvenile, 500 block Shelby St., juvenile located
01/17, 4:34pm, Theft, 2100 block Southlake Mall, theft of several items from residence
01/17, 6:27pm, Theft, 1400 block W. 4th St., theft of catalytic converters
Attention: New Scam,
We received a green post card from one of our Hobart residents. This post card says it is from the The Center for
Back Pain. It then proceeds to say that they are trying to reach you regarding your eligibility for a Medicare and
Insurance covered back or knee support system. There is a toll free number (1-855-980-7033) they are asking you
to call to verify your eligibility.
DO NOT CALL! This is a Scam!
6. ISSUE 222, FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 Page 6
Kendan L. French, 25, Arrest Warrant, Gary, IN
Jessie V. Green Jr., 48, Probable Cause, Indianapolis, IN
Brandon M. Hatfield, 23, Arrest Warrant, Portage, IN
Christopher W. Henderson, 29, Arrest Warrant, Hobart, IN
Alec R. Holmes, 20, Arrest Warrant, Hobart, IN
Robert L. Lofton Jr., 50, Theft, Gary, IN
Virginia P. Morris, 52, Arrest Warrant, Hammond, IN
Bryauna M. Peterman, 19, Theft, Hobart, IN
Willie J. Rose Jr.,, 21, Arrest Warrant, Hammond, IN
Valencia J. Smith, 19, Theft, Merrillville, IN
Donald E. Stalhandske, 57, Battery, Hobart, IN
Ashley L. Taylor, 25, Arrest Warrant, Lake Station, IN
Douglas A. Wallace, 29, Probable Cause, South Holland, IL
Marcus D. White, 30, Arrest Warrant, Gary, IN
Michael R. Wiley, 26, Poss. Of Paraphernalia, Steger, IL
Jackie L. Woynarowski, 40, Arrest Warrant, Gary, IN
Heather R. Burkhardt, 32, Theft, Cedar Lake, IN
Marisa L. Cain, 21, Theft, Valparaiso, IN
Sherese M. Davis, 37, Arrest Warrant, East Chicago, IN
James Flores, 56, Operating While Intoxicated, Hobart, IN
Eduardo Gonzalez, 49, Oper. While Intoxicated, Chicago Heights, IL
Robert J. Palkovitz, 29, Operating While Intoxicated, Hammond, IN
Benjamin J. Peil, 34, Theft, Braham, MN
William Romero Jr., 23, Operating While Intoxicated, Hobart, IN
Amanda L. Wetzel, 20, Theft, Elmwood, WI
Curtesha D. Young, 18, Theft, Merrillville, IN
18 Juveniles Arrested
Arrests 01/04–01/17 All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
Ryan J. Barshack, 20, Theft, Schererville, IN
Chase M. Falcon, 24, Arrest Warrant, Bell Rose, LA
James R. Fitzgerald, 29, Fugitive Warrant, Griffith, IN
Caitlin L. Flynn, 19, Theft, Schererville, IN
Vervellee S. Gasaway III, 29, Disorderly Conduct, Hobart, IN
Alondra S. Hernandez, 20, Theft, Chicago, IL
Chance T. King, 31, Battery, Hobart, IN
Kaitlyn M. Myers, 19, Theft, Dyer, IN
Antwone T. Peterson, 21, Arrest Warrant, Hobart, IN
Ruby Quiroga, 22, Theft, Chicago, IL
Edward Robak, 52, Probable Cause, Crown Point, IN
Kimberly A. Robinson, 28, Handgun License Required, Highland, IN
David T. Russell Sr., 51, Arrest Warrant, Hobart, IN
Daniel F. Sanchez, 28, Arrest Warrant, Lake Station, IN
Traneece L. Smith, 18, Criminal Trespass/Disorderly Conduct, Hammond, IN
Don A. Trich, 42, Domestic Battery, Hobart, IN
Abraham E. Cardona, 30, Theft, Merrillville, IN
Ricardo D. Ledesma, 20, Poss. of Alcohol by Minor, Hammond, IN
Keyon T. Lee, 19, Multiple Charges, Gary, IN
Johnathan R. Woodley, 19, Probable Cause, Gary, IN
Niesha R. Aaron, 20, Theft, Merrillville, IN
Reidun K. Allen, 44, Arrest Warrant, Valparaiso, IN
Brittanie J. Diaz, 22, Theft, Griffith, IN
Cyniqua M. Eddie, 25, Arrest Warrant, Gary, IN
Eric C. Estrada, 25, Arrest Warrant, Chesterton, IN
Code Enforcement Section-Sgt. Ron Russo
Hello all,
Code Enforcement had a very eventful year in 2015. We covered 893 calls for service (compared to 607 in 2014), many of
which we made 2 or more visits to in order to gain compliance. We ended the year with a 76% compliance rate. And really,
compliance and education is the goal of Code Enforcement. Of the 893 cases covered, 268 of those were high grass, and of
those 268, we mowed 79 yards. We responded to 129 abandoned vehicle cases, and only had to tow 16 vehicles -- we
gained compliance on all the others except those that were still open going in to 2016. We used Community Service
workers to clean 5 properties in 2015, as compared to 2 in 2014. All in all I think 2015 was a great year for Code
Enforcement, and I look forward to a successful 2016!
Sgt. Ronald Russo
Hobart Police Department Code Enforcement Services
Our Newsletter can also be picked up from the following locations:
Hobart Police Station, Maria Reiner Senior Center, Hobart Family Y.M.C.A., Hobart Public Library,
Walgreen’s 742 W. Old Ridge Rd., Ellney’s Bakery and Catering 1995 W. Old Ridge Rd, and at the following restaurants:
Lake Park, Diner’s Choice, and Paragon
If you would like to receive our newsletter via email: Please call our Public Relations Office at 219-942-1125 ext. 1070.
You can also email us at HPDnews@cityofhobart.org or find the newsletter on facebook.com/Hobartpolice.
This Week’s Sources: in.gov, Better Business Bureau
