West Des Moines Police Investigate Missing Ring at Care Center

Originally published Jan. 18, 2012

Police Investigate Possible Theft of Ring from Sleeping Resident

West Des Moines police think a ring may have been stolen from the left hand of an 88-year-old resident of Heritage Court assisted living facility, 1501 Office Park Road, while he was sleeping.

Officer Ben Woods spoke with Dan Donohue, the care facility’s administrator, and a social worker in regard to the apparent theft of the resident’s jewelry, a 14-karat yellow gold ring with a .49-carat solitaire diamond. In 1970, the ring was appraised at $498.

Authorities are questioning employees who were working at the time the alleged theft occurred, according to the police report.

Donohue told police that a similar theft had occurred in the past year and the employee in question had been fired for that offense.

The victim last saw his ring, which he always wears on his left hand, at about 1:30 on Jan. 11 and noticed it missing about 6:30 the next morning. Workers were unable to find the ring in his room, so authorities were called.

Two Report Assault Outside Bar
Two people reported to police Sunday afternoon that they had been assaulted after leaving 5335 Mills Civic Pkwy., late Saturday night. Police met the tw, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

One of the victims said that as they were leaving the lounge with a group of friends, he dropped his wallet, which was picked up and returned by a person who was walking behind them.

The good Samaritan later became involved in an altercation with an unknown assailant. When the vicim approached and asked if everything was OK, he was jumped from behind by three men, resulting in his lip being cut and some pain in his lower back, according to a West Des Moines police report filed by Officer D.J. Frunzar.

In the meantime, the other victim reported that one of two women in a car believed to be associated with the group pointed a small gun at her. A short time later, she was jumped from behind by the two women who had been in the vehicle. According to the police report, she was pushed to the ground, then one of the assailants began “stomping on her head with closed-toe high heels.”

She was bleeding heavily from her head and was taken to Mercy Medical Center by friends. According to the police report, three staples were required to close the wound on her head and she also suffered bruises to her right cheek bone and the right side of her head.

Woman Bilked Out of $8,700 by Man Claiming to be Grandson
Marie Ellen Mealiff, 84, of West Des Moines, reported to police that she had been bilked out of $8,700 by a man claiming to be her grandson on Jan. 12.

After Maeliff wired the money to the man, she received another call from another man claiming to be her grandson, reporting that he had been in a car accident in Bolivia, where he was attending a wedding, and needed $5,000 to pay for the damages to the other vehicle and his medical bills.

Maeliff said the man sounded like her son, and she sent the money to the Western Union account information provided by the man. He called her back about three hours later and said he received the money, but needed $3,700 more.

Maeliff attempted to wire the money, but was unable to do so because Western Union has a $7,000 limit per customer per day. She was able to send the $3,700 from Check Into Cash, 4125 University Ave., in Des Moines. Maeliff told police that clerks at both Western Union and Check Into Cash warned her the transfers seemed suspicious.

The man claiming to be her grandson called her later in the afternoon and said he had received the money and ws on a plane back to New York, where he lives. Later that day, Maeliff’s family discovered that her grandson had not been in Bolivia and had not contacted his grandmother.

Former Employee May be Responsible for Theft
West Des Moines police think a former employee may be responsible for the theft of $145 from French Way Cleaners, 835 Grand Ave. When a store employee reported to work and prepared for the business day, he discovered the front door was unlocked.

A check of the storage area where the day’s cash – $145 – and checks, credit card transaction records and other records from Jan. 13-14 were kept revealed they had been stolen.

There was no sign of forced entry, but store employees say as many as 60 keys may be held by former employees, all of whom know the business’ cash storage practices, according to the police report.

Police Recover Stolen Vehicle After Chase
David Charles Thomason, 33, of 6205 Tonka Ave., Des Moines faces multiple charges after police pursued him, first in a squad car and then on foot, Saturday morning.

West Des Moines Police Officer Shawn Miller was dispatched at 7:42 a.m. in reference to a possible hit-and-run accident in which the apparent victim was pursuing Thomason on Railroad Avenue after Thomason allegedly struck his vehicle in the vicinity of Park Avenue and 63rd Street. The vehicles went south on South Eleventh Street from Railroad Avenue and into the Martin Marietta quarry at South 11th and Lincoln streets.

Police caught up with Thomason at the quarry, but he left the plant, ran several stop signs and finally entered the girls’ softball complex at Holiday Park Baseball Club, 1620 Holiday Park Road. From there, Thomason continued northbound through the parking lot, driving on the sidewalk between the two softball fields at times, and through a private back yard. Thomason left the park on Walnut Street and continued northbound on 12th Street, again running several stop signs, the police report said.

Miller said that rather than continue to chase the vehicle, he decided to intercept Thomason when he reached the parking lot of Hillside Elementary School, 713 Eighth St., where a foot chase ensued and Thomason was eventually detained.

The vehicle, a 1996 red Chevrolet Monte Carlo, was reported stolen from Stock Motors in Des Moines.

Thomason was charged with second-degree theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, operating while under the influence (third offense), attempting elude law enforcement officials, reckless driving, failure to provide proof of insurance, six counts of failure to obey a traffic control device

Walnut Creek Student Charge in Fight at the School
A 17-year-old Des Moines youth was charged with disorderly conduct, fighting and violent behavior after an incident at Walnut Creek Alternative School, 815 Eighth St.

School Principal Kim Davis told West Des Moines police that two students had been involved in a fight. One of the students ran from the scene before police arrived. The student who remained admitted that he had hit the other student with his fist, but the student did not strike back. The victim was not injured.

The student was released to his guardian, and the matter has been referred to juvenile authorities.