By Cassandra Baker

2:44 p.m., January 5. 17th Ave NW and NW Market St

A man called police after problems with a shopping cart led to an assault. The responding officer found the victim sitting on the curb in a parking lot. The victim said that a black male had pushed his shopping cart of belongings around the corner of a nearby store. When he went to get his cart back, the suspect pushed him from behind, causing him to fall to the ground. The victim said that he would recognize the suspect if he saw him again. He also said that he drinks a lot and, and he had a hard time describing the incident. H said that the suspect had stolen a beer from his cart. A clerk inside the store said that he saw the two men arguing and that he recognized the suspect as a regular. The suspect was not found in the area.

5:14 a.m., January 4. 24th block of NW 80th St

A burglar struck a Ballard-area business and left with a large gumball machine. An employee of the business arrived at around 5:00 a.m. on the 4th to find the front door shattered. The only item that had been stolen was a five foot tall gumball machine, with an estimated value of $500. The employee said that there might be surveillance footage of the burglary.

10:00 p.m., January 3. 20th Ave NW and NW 56th St

Police responded to a report of a man who had passed out and appeared to have been beaten on the night of January 3. The responding officer spoke with the victim, who said that he had been riding his bike when he came upon a group of white males at a bus stop. He said that he stopped and got off his bike, and he wasn’t sure what happened after that, but he “saw stars” and passed out. The victim late woke up and told a friend about the incident, and it was the friend who called police. The victim said he had been drinking and could not remember the incident well. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

7:35 a.m., December 30. 100 block of Holman Rd NW

A Mongolian restaurant was burglarized on the night of December 29, and the burglar appeared to have a sweet tooth. Police responded to reports of a broken glass door at the restaurant and searched the premises but did not find any suspects. The business had an alarm but it was not activated. The officers and employees determined that the only items that had been stolen were two red coin-operated candy dispensers. No fingerprints were found at the scene. The responding officer searched the area for the candy machines but did not find them.