Police took an 83-year-old man into protective custody on Dec. 8 for a traffic offense. The man, a Seattle resident, was cited for a hit and run and driving with a suspended license at 5:43 p.m., Dec. 8, in the 4400 block of West Mercer Way. A witness reported seeing the vehicle swerving erratically in and out of the oncoming lane at 5 to 10 mph. After swerving into the opposite lane, the driver overcorrected and the vehicle swerved into a stand of mailboxes on the shoulder. Pieces of the vehicle broke off and the driver got out, picked them up and put them into his front seat. He was disoriented and drove away from the scene before being stopped by police. The driver said “he did not think he should be driving since he had just run into a large rock on the side of the road.” His vehicle was impounded, and no injuries were reported.

Dec. 9

Lost necklace: A Mercer Island woman, 63, reported at 9 a.m. that her husband found a cross pendant necklace while walking in the 4200 block of 90th Avenue S.E. near the high school at the end of October. The necklace was placed into found property at the MIPD.

Drugs: A Mercer Island woman turned in a vaporizer at 1:30 p.m. that her son or his friend used to smoke marijuana. The MIPD placed the device into property for destruction.

Dec. 10

DUI: A vehicle came close to hitting a marked patrol car in the 2200 block of West Mercer Way after midnight. Police stopped the vehicle and arrested the driver at 12:21 a.m. The driver, a 31-year-old Renton woman, spoke with an extreme slur and smelled of intoxicants. She failed standard sobriety tests, and her vehicle was impounded.

Missing wallet: An Island House employee left his wallet on a couch in the downstairs lounge at 7810 S.E. 30th Street. He realized his wallet was missing as he was leaving work at 9 p.m., but when he returned to the lounge, the wallet was gone.

Arrest: Police booked a 23-year-old woman into the King County Jail at 7 p.m. on a $1,000 warrant for driving with a suspended license, after taking her into custody from Kent police.

Theft: A mailbox was pried open in the 7600 block of West Mercer Way sometime after 10 a.m., Dec. 9. Friday’s mail was stolen. The estimated cost of replacing the damaged mailbox was $300.

Dec. 11

Arrest: Police arrested a 26-year-old Seattle man at 2:04 a.m. in the 3500 block of East Mercer Way on an outstanding outside agency warrant for driving with a suspended license. The man was cited and released.

Dec. 12

Lost watch: A man turned in a woman’s watch at the MIPD. He found the watch in front of the North end Rite Aid on 78th Avenue S.E. at 10:25 a.m.

iPhone theft: An iPhone was stolen during a nighttime party at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center on S.E. 24th Street. The owner, a Seattle man, reported that the phone’s last known location — according to an iPhone finder application on his computer — was Tukwila, Wash.

Salon theft: The owner of the Mercer Island Great Clips reported that business supplies, items for salon use and items for retail sale were stolen between December 2010 and July 2011. The salon’s manager was suspect due to circumstantial evidence.

Dec. 13

Accident: A van went off the road, crossed a yard and struck an unoccupied, parked SUV at 6:15 p.m. in the 8800 block of S.E. 54th Street. The driver, a 42-year-old woman, said she blacked out “but couldn’t remember.” She said she had a seizure disorder, but did not think that caused the collision. No alcohol was involved. The woman was cited for inattention and having no vehicle insurance. No injuries were reported.

Theft: A diamond ring was stolen out of a master bedroom in the 3800 block of East Mercer Way sometime between 2 p.m., Dec. 12, and 10 a.m., Dec. 13. Contractors repairing water damage in the house were suspect.

Dec. 15

Car prowl: A garage door opener was stolen out of a Toyota Tacoma in the 3700 block of 77th Place S.E. sometime overnight. The vehicle, locked, was parked on the street at the victim’s residence. The victim, a 58-year-old woman, found her vehicle unlocked. Her ID, vehicle keys and house keys had been stolen in another incident in Bellevue.

Assault: Police arrested a 25-year-old Mercer Island man at 11:25 p.m. in the 5200 block of 88th Avenue S.E. and booked him into the Issaquah Jail. The suspect was a house guest of the victim, a 58-year-old man. The suspect confessed that he pushed the victim, who was scratched but refused medical aid.

Dec. 16

Animal complaint: An 11-year-old boy was bitten in his driveway by a neighbor’s dog at 3:30 p.m. in the 3800 block of East Mercer Way. The boy’s doctor treated him for the bite, which was minor. A report was forwarded to King County Animal Control.

DUI: Police stopped a BMW speeding at 77 mph on I-90 and arrested the driver, a 47-year-old Sammamish man, at 10:56 p.m. The man’s speech was slurred and he smelled of intoxicants. He admitted consuming alcohol and failed standard sobriety tests. He was processed at the Issaquah Police Department and was later released to his daughter.

Dec. 17

Pile-up: A 52-year-old Mercer Island woman was cited for following too closely after rear-ending a pickup and causing a three-car pile-up at 1:05 p.m. in the 5300 block of Island Crest Way in front of Island Crest Elementary. The pickup was stopped for traffic behind a Jeep. There were no injuries, and none of the vehicles were towed.

Harassment: A 34-year-old woman was harassed at her workplace at 3:50 p.m. in the 9700 block of S.E. 36th Street. A customer verbally assaulted the employee and lifted a closed fist to the employee’s face. The customer then left the store.

Dec. 18

Drugs: Police contacted two occupants of a vehicle parked in the middle of the road, facing traffic, with its lights on at 4:02 a.m. in the 7600 block of S.E. 40th Street. An 18-year-old male with a bag of marijuana, who had been drinking, was arrested. He was cited and released at the MIPD.