Log Laughs: It's Always Smarter to Tip Your Cabbie

We realize that police business is serious, but every once in a while there are entries in the local police log that make us chuckle.  We thought we’d share them. 

, 9:40 a.m. A Danvers man reported that he visited an Old Farm Road residence to perform a requested estimate for service. Upon his arrival, he told police, the homeowner came out of the house screaming at him. He never made it past the sidewalk, he said, but he won’t be going back.

What happened to ‘the customer is always right?’

, 7:09 p.m. An anonymous caller reported two raccoons fighting in a Belmont Street driveway. An officer sent the animals on their way.

There’s an expression police when they ask a group of youths to leave an area. Apparently, it’s the exact same one they use when they tell two wild animals to skedaddle.

, 6:12 p.m. An officer responded to a report of an escalating argument between a customer and an employee at the Shell Station at 110 Main Street. The caller reported that the argument was verbal only, but that the customer was becoming more agitated and had taken his shirt off. The customer left the scene before police arrived. The employee told police that the argument had been over a misunderstanding that had since been resolved.

Unless the argument was over who had the better six-pack, I have absolutely no idea why removing one’s shirt would help anything.

, 1:09 a.m. An officer charged Donald Hoffman, 47, of Gazebo Circle with taxi fare evasion after a caller reported that he thought Hoffman had been struck by a car. The caller reported that he had seen Hoffman, standing, disheveled, with a bloody face and one shoe on after he heard tires screeching. An officer alleged that Hoffman had jumped from a moving taxi. He was taken to Lahey Clinic and later charged.

I’m going to guess his copayment for his ER visit was a bit higher than any cab fare. Keep that in mind the next time you consider taking a “tuck and roll” over tipping your cabbie.

, 8:27 a.m. A Salem Street resident dialed 911 while attempting to dial 411. As a courtesy, a dispatcher provided the caller with the number she was looking for. 

That’s very nice of Reading’s dispatchers.