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Police often see through false crime reports A cut supposedly suffered in an assault and robbery recently just didn't match facts, say Medford police By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune If you're thinking about inventing a crime to report to police, think again, because you could be charged. Whether motivated by revenge or a need for money, false reports are easy to spot, police say. "It's very difficult for lay people out there to fake a crime," said Medford police Sgt. Roy Skinner. Police take all crime reports seriously until they prove to be untrue, but in many cases officers don't hesitate to charge the complainant with initiating a false report for lying about a crime. Police recently cited a Medford man after he lied about being robbed at knifepoint. Andy James Detrick, 24, told police that two men assaulted him in the parking lot of Food 4 Less and stole his wallet, which contained $300, his Oregon driver license, Social Security card and Wells Fargo debit card. He provided a description of the suspects and their vehicle and even showed detectives where he had been wounded. But the ruse didn't fool investigators. When people fabricate stories, they often don't consider how police examine physical evidence, Skinner said. Detrick showed detectives a cut on the palm of his hand that he said he received while trying to defend himself from the robbers. The cut was in the right place but didn't run deep enough and was and obviously self-inflicted, Skinner said. Last year police issued 15 citations for initiating a false report. Eight citations were written in 2000 and five in 1999. There aren't necessarily more people lying about crimes, police may have become more adept at spotting the fibbers, Skinner said. Initiating a false report - technically a class C misdemeanor - can be difficult to track because it's often written up as disorderly conduct - a class B misdemeanor. Last year, Medford police charged 370 people with disorderly conduct and 317 in 2000. Jackson County Sheriff's Department logged 235 disorderly conduct charges last year and 307 in 2000. Statewide, 16,960 people were charged with the offense in 2000. False reports often are motivated by a need for money, Skinner said. It's not unusual for car owners who can't make their payments to torch the vehicle. Detectives discovered that Detrick had a clear need for $300 before he reported that someone robbed him of his wallet. Skinner did not say why he needed the money. Other false reports, such as domestic assaults, are sparked by a desire for revenge on another person, Skinner said. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.