Law roundup: Purple-haired shoppers raise suspicions

Concerned that a group of four people with purple hair might be up to no good, the manager of a store contacted the Kalispell Police Department, asking if officers could walk through the establishment. The quartet had walked in and out of the store several times. The manager said a recent uptick in shoplifting prompted their suspicions.  

Officers advised the victim of a theft in Plains to contact law enforcement in Plains — rather than Kalispell — about the case.

A caller told the police that their daughter was walking a dog when she saw several people in the trees and bushes with a rifle. The group took off when they saw their daughter. Officers headed to the area but were unable to locate the group of suspicious people.  

At the behest of a neighbor, officers headed to city property near Ashley Creek to deal with a group of men smoking cigarettes and marijuana. The group was apprised of the property line and reminded of city ordinances.  

Officers directed a motorist pulled over for a traffic stop to call someone with a valid license.  

A woman alleged that someone had pulled out her hair during an argument over a refund.  

Seeing a dog sitting in a red Honda Fit, a passerby reported it as a possible case of animal cruelty. The passerby reported that the dog did not seem in distress.  

Apparently hoping to harsh someone's buzz, an anonymous caller accused bartenders of serving alcohol to minors. The caller, who was unwilling to make a statement to the police, said that the bartenders were aware that their patrons were underage. Officers popped in at the establishment, and bartenders said they had carded everyone who had come inside. Patrons willingly showed the officers their identification to prove their age.  

Seeing a pair of people wearing ski masks and holding heavy duty flashlights walking through yards in the neighborhood, a resident phoned the police. Officers found the pair and sent them home, warning them against going into other people's yards.  

Convinced that the teenagers in the vehicle in front of them were driving drunk, a motorist tailed the group while phoning the authorities. To further burnish their allegations, the motorist told dispatchers the teens had posted images to social media with them holding alcohol in their hands. That same alcohol had been tossed out the window, the motorist claimed. Officers ended up intercepting the vehicle in question, but observed no signs of impairment on the part of the driver.