Liberty Lake police keep lid on major crime

Officers in the Liberty Lake Police Department kept busy the week of March 11-18, writing tickets, investigating suspicious behavior and checking on a barking dog.

Police received a report of a man rummaging through a garbage can near a business in the 1300 block of North Liberty Lake Road at 12:45 p.m. on March 13. Officers found the man, who said he was waiting for a ride to Post Falls and was looking for cigarette butts to smoke because he was bored, said Police Chief Brian Asmus. A check determined that the man has a history of theft and burglary and he was told to move on, Asmus said.

An officer responded to the 19900 block of East Sixth Avenue to assist the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office with a burglary in progress call at 9:50 a.m. on March 13. The resident reported hearing someone walking up and down the stairs, but no one other than the resident was found when officers arrived, Asmus said.

Officers responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of King James Lane and Mission Avenue the evening of March 13 discovered seven juveniles using a homemade BMX bike course on private property. The juveniles were told to leave because they didn’t have permission from the owner to be there. One of the juveniles told the officer that they had been building the bike course for several years, Asmus said.

An injured deer was reported in the eastbound lane of Mission Avenue near Murray Lane at 7:40 a.m. on March 14. The deer was euthanized due to the extent of its injuries.

A barking dog was reported inside a hotel room in the 2300 block of North Madson Road shortly before midnight Friday. Employees requested that an officer check the room because the guest could not be reached, Asmus said. Only the dog was inside the room and officers made sure the dog had water and then left, he said.

During the week officers made four arrests for driving with a suspended license and one for operating a vehicle without a required ignition interlock. They handed out three citations for failure to show proof of liability insurance and two for speeding. Additional citations were given for following too close and failure to yield-left turn.