By Ashley Crutcher
Law enforcement officials suspect that a would-be burglar may still bear dog bite marks in evidence of his attempt last Friday to steal from Iron Works on Highway 6 East, Batesville.
The owner told Deputy Sheriff Mark Lott that when he arrived about 7 a.m. March 11, he found the business’ front door open and his guard dog out of his cage and standing at the door.
A visual check of the premises revealed that nothing was missing, leading the business owner to surmise that the dog had encouraged the uninvited visitor to leave empty-handed.
“I checked with the hospital to see if there (were) any reports of dog bites,” Lott states in his report.
The attempted burglary at Iron Works was among 36 incidents from March 1 to March 12 for which the Panola County Sheriff’s Department released reports this week.
A Walnut Road, Sardis, resident may have reported the loss of greatest monetary value among 16 reports that involved property crimes.
The owner of a 2014 John Deere Model XUV side-by-side 625I cam Gator told Lt. Willie Harris that the Gator and its 12-foot, single axle, non-lift trailer disappeared sometime late Saturday/early Sunday, March 5-6.
Other property crime investigations with locations, date and the initial responding officer include:
• Upton Road, Pope, Friday, March 4: Seven Oxycontin pills missing from home, Deputy George Renfroe;
• Upton Road, Pope, Saturday, March 5, suspicious character detained by Renfroe removing property from shed at unoccupied home. Investigator Bryan Arnold notified;
• Shiloh Road, Courtland, March 5, resident accuses roommate and girlfriend of taking money. Deputy Britton Crawford seized handgun pulled during argument;
• Hawkins Road, Courtland, resident reports to Lt. Willie Harris that Gallaxy cell phone and 9mm Slim 709 pistol missing after Sunday, March 6 vehicle accident;
• Enid Dam Road, Pope resident reports to Investigator Danny Beavers Monday, March 7, that he discovered tag missing from 2005 blue Nissan Altima;
• Cedar Heights, Pope, vehicle owner reported to Beavers March 11 that he found tag missing from his truck;
• Johnson Cove, Como resident told Beavers that tag associated with her vehicle, which apparently turned up on a vehicle in Florida, was supposed to have been crushed with vehicle at local scrap yard in 2011;
• McNeely Road, Courtland resident told Deputy Dean Jones on Tuesday, March 8, that he suspects ex-girlfriend of stealing his identity to obtain credit card;
• Greenbrook Parkway, Southaven resident reported iPhone 6 cell phone missing during visit to Skatasia on Hwy. 315, Sardis, March 8. “Find My Phone” app revealed phone’s location in Oxford, Deputy Bill Furniss’ report states;
• Waldrup Road, Batesville resident reported Wednesday, Feb. 9 that checks taken from rental home on Broad St., Batesville had been fraudulently cashed in Water Valley;
• Cordova, TN resident reported to Investigator Bryan Arnold March 9 a break-in attempt at a shed beside cabin on Whipporwill Rd., Pope;
• Graham Rd., Sardis resident reports to Arnold on Thursday, March 10 that suspect had fraudulently used his debit card for $1,567 purchases through PayPal;
• Kathryn Dr., Sardis resident awoke to loud noise outside early March 10 to discover truck hood raised and battery missing, Deputy Crawford’s report states;
• Henderson Road, Batesville resident reported to Lt. Harris March 10 that he awoke to find $15,000 in money orders and three pair of snake skin boots missing from his truck.

Sex crimes
A woman jogging along Robison Road (between Highway 315 and the Eureka Road) told Deputy House that a slim-built black man riding a dark-colored bike and wearing a gray hoodie and blue jeans attempted to rape her. The suspect assaulted the victim but did not rape her. She was treated at Baptist Memorial/Oxford where the deputy was called to investigate.
In another investigation of a possible sex crime, the Department of Human Services contacted Investigator Arnold March 5 about a nine-year-old believed to have been sexually abused.
Threats and violence
• Hwy. 35 North, March 5, Deputy John Still; boyfriend accompanied girlfriend to home where girlfriend’s parents and brother punched and scratched him;
• Butler Road, Batesville, March 5, Deputy Mark Allen; two shots fired into vehicles parked at home, leaving bullet fragments collected as evidence;
• Sardis Lake Dr., Batesville, March 6, Deputy Still; estranged husband breaks into home, assaults wife and children;
• Sherwood Dr., Batesville, March 6, Deputy House; ex-husband tries to kick in front door of home;
• Terza Rd., Batesville, March 6, Deputy Lee Martin; victim reports phone threats from ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend;
• Hadorn Rd., Batesville, March 7, Deputy Tim Campbell; victim reports argument with father of her child that results in him throwing brick at her car. “The brick destroyed the passenger side brake light … It was still lodged in the car when she arrived at the SO,” Campbell’s report states;
• Hwy. 51, Pope, March 9, Deputy Renfroe; during argument between two men, one produced a sawed-off shotgun and threatened the other. Lt. Harris recovered the gun; Deputy Jeremy Hailey transported the miscreant to jail;
• Carlisle Rd., Courtland, March 9, Deputy Crawford attempted to sort melee among five people that began from argument over trespassing pit bulls;
• CR 605, Oakland, March 9, Investigator Arnold reported that woman whose mother could not contact her after a suspected altercation with her boyfriend  had been located;
• Shiloh Rd., Courtland, March 10, Deputy Renfroe, investigated complaint that husband hit wife in mouth while getting kids ready for school;
• Tocowa Rd., Courtland, March 10, man told Deputy Buck Harris that he did not want his ex-girlfriend to come to his home any more;

Death
• Pope/Water Valley Road, March 4, Deputy Still called to residence to investigate apparent suicide.
Curious
• Dunlap Road, Como, March 9, Deputy Renfroe: woman whose car was found parked in front of gate told officers “she had taken some heavy medication the night before and may have driven the vehicle;”
• Fox Run Drive, Courtland, March 1, Deputy Hailey: mother reported 17-year-old son “out of control, … verbally abusing her and doesn’t like to be told what to do,” Hailey stated in his report, adding, “her ex-husband blocked her so she can’t talk to him about the problem.”
In other sheriff’s department activities, Crawford on March 6 stopped a vehicle he had observed swerving in the road along Highway 51 and Hentz Road.
The driver was charged with reckless driving, suspended driver’s license and no proof of insurance.
County officers investigated ed six motor vehicles accidents March 2-7, including two with injuries. Four juveniles were investigated for fighting at North Panola Jr. High, according to the reports.