Porter County Law and Order

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Updated: January 18, 2012 2:24PM

PORTER COUNTY

Identity theft may be behind IRS call

Identity theft may have led to a 45-year-old Valparaiso man getting into possible trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. Tuesday, the man told police the IRS contacted him about garnisheeing his wages for unpaid income tax. The man, however, said he has been receiving disability payments because he is unable to work, and he believes someone used his information to get the job for which taxes are owed, dating back to 1999.

WESTVILLE

Woman arrested visiting prisoner

Leona Williams, of Gary, was arrested Monday afternoon for bringing contraband to the Westville Correctional Facility, presumably to give it to Marshall Brown, also of Gary, whom she was visiting.

A press release from the prison said the package was found during a search of Williams but did not indicate what was inside. She was taken to the LaPorte County jail on a class C felony charge of trafficking with an offender.

Brown, 22, who is serving a five-year sentence for carrying a handgun without a permit, was put in segregation following the incident.

VALPARAISO

Registers taken at two businesses

At about 2 a.m. Wednesday, a driver rammed into the front door of Discoteca Morelia, at 200 Billings St., so his passenger could run in and steal the business’ cash register, according to the police report. Although there is no video of the break-in, which set off a burglar alarm, foot and tire prints in the snow told police what happened. There was no cash in the register, and the door is expected to cost $1,500 to replace.

A cash register with an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen from Sacred Chao Tattoos, 206 Elm St., between 7:45 and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police said a 2-foot by 2-foot window was broken on the side of the business, and the door between the business and the building’s garage also was damaged. The culprit also rifled through paperwork in the owner’s office.

Golf cart taken from complex

A golf cart worth more than $5,000 was reported stolen from a garage used for storage by the management of Golfview Apartments, at 453 Golfview Blvd. The golf cart was last seen Friday afternoon. An employee discovered it was gone Tuesday afternoon and the locks from the office’s two garages had been removed, according to the police report.

Trailer stolen from behind business

A flatbed trailer worth $2,000 and belonging to Ridgewood U.S.A. was reported stolen between 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Tuesday from behind the business, at 2501 Chicago St.