Oakdale Police Blotter: SUV Fire Being Investigated as Possible Arson

The Oakdale police and fire departments are investigating whether arson caused a vehicle fire Friday, Sept. 16, in a driveway in the 2100 block of Helena Avenue, according to an Oakdale Police Department report.

When police arrived at the scene, a 2005 GMC Yukon was fully engulfed in flames, the report says.

Oakdale Fire Chief Jeff Anderson said the fire was suspicious because it started in the cab of the vehicle, rather than around electrical equipment. 

The property damage estimate is $20,000, according to the report.

The following incidents were also reported to Oakdale police Sept 15-17:

Sept. 15:

• A $250 iPhone was reported stolen at a get-together in the 5200 block of Helena Road. Police have a suspect.
• A 1982 Yamaha motorcycle was stolen from a locked garage in the 1200 block of Gentry Avenue. There was no damage to the garage or the lock that was on the motorcycle. Police have a suspect.
• A resident in the 2200 block of Hynes Avenue reported that several lawns in the area were driven over the past three nights by an unknown person.

Sept. 16:

• A stack of unopened mail belonging to 11 different people was found in a mailbox on Upper 47^th Street. Police advised those to whom the mail was addressed.
• A resident in the 2100 block of Hallmark Way reported that while he was out of the country on July 4, someone set off hundreds of fireworks that struck his residence causing damage and erosion to the white bricks on his residence. He said his daughter had located firework debris in his driveway and yard, however police were unable to substantiate that fireworks caused the damage. The property damage estimate is $1,000.
• Police got an anonymous complaint that a woman in a small blue car who had a baseball bat that yelled at the complainant at the Holiday station at Highway 5 and Hadley Avenue. Police checked the area, but the suspect vehicle was gone.

Sept. 17:

• Someone smashed the driver’s side rear window of a vehicle parked in the 6100 block of 47^th Street and tried to smash its windshield between 10:30 p.m. Sept. 16 and 10:30 a.m. the next day. The damage estimate is $400.
• A Helmo Road resident reported that someone fraudulently charged $737 to her debit card.
• Someone stole the motor off of a boat parked in the 6800 block of Grenwich Lane overnight between Sept. 16 and 17. The motor’s value is $750.
• Police were called to the 3500 block of Genevieve Avenue on a report that a car was being towed for no reason. When they got there, they found a man wearing combat boots and camouflage and carrying a handgun who said he was on the association board and he was the one that called to tow the vehicle. Police disarmed the man, but found he has a valid permit to carry a gun. The complainant said the vehicle had been at the home for 10 minutes, and that the driver was there to pick up the complainant to go to a 5K run. Twin Cities Towing agreed to unhook the vehicle.
• A 17-year-old practicing driving with his mom hit the gas while parking and crashed into the SuperAmerica gas station at Geneva Avenue and 10^th Street. The crash caused about $800 in front-end damage to the vehicle, and broke several bricks on the building, but nobody was hurt.
• A complainant called police expressing concerns about a fireworks show at . He said the display alarmed his dogs, violated his civil rights and was louder than any attack he’d witnessed in Vietnam. He said he was going to take a neighborhood petition and give it to the event organizers. A fireworks permit had been issued for the event, and it was found to be in compliance.
• Police responded to the 1500 block of Hallmark Lane on a report that a complainant had been beat up by a neighbor. The complainant, who was “very drunk,” reported that she and the neighbor were drinking shots all day together. The neighbor blamed the complainant for cutting down her sunflowers, and the two got into a fight. The complainant had a small scratch on her face, but she insisted that charges not be pursued.

The above items are taken from the . In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. The arrested person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Incidents are listed in the order in which they were reported, not necessarily the order in which they occurred.