The blotter is derived from recent central dispatch records and incident reports of area police agencies.
Hawkins County Sheriff's Office
Sept. 24
A 57-year-old resident of Hidden Valley Road reported receiving a call from someone claiming to represent Microsoft. The caller allegedly "needed her to log onto her laptop" and then ran the resident through a series of instructions. When the caller was able to take control of the computer remotely, he abruptly disconnected the call. Police advised the victim to closely monitor her bank account and personal information, and contact police immediately upon noticing any unusual activity.
Sept. 25
A deputy responded to an incident of vandalism in Bulls Gap, where "whore" was spray painted on one vehicle and "slut" on another. The wall of a church building across the street was tagged with a female's social security number.
Sept. 26
The street sign for Bacon Road in Rogersville was stolen. A police report says detectives were notified of a recent post on a social networking site, where someone allegedly wrote that they were going to take the sign.
Police were dispatched to a dispute between neighbors on River Road. One resident claimed a neighbor was weed eating a ditch line when he discovered a dead rat, pitching it into the complainant's yard. The weed trimmer said he merely kicked the dead rodent out of his way, prompting the other man to come running outside screaming and cussing. Police took no action.
Kingsport Police Department
Sept. 24
A caller from Hyde Place reported "someone is throwing something" at the back of their house.
Sept. 25
An E Street resident claimed an armed man was in an alley behind his residence, and if police didn't do something about it he'd, "take care of the problem with a gun." An officer responded to the area, finding only, "a guy on a bike talking on his phone."
Sullivan County Sheriff's Office
Sept. 24
On Old Stage Trail a woman was allegedly threatening another female, "with a 2 X 4." Police responded to find the confrontation had defused, as one of the women involved had left the area.
Sept. 25
Someone called police on three juveniles riding skateboards in the parking lot of a church on Mapleview Drive. An officer spoke with the church's pastor, who advised it was OK for the skateboarders to be there.
Read the complete blotter listings in each Tuesday and Friday's print edition of the Times-News.