Ralls County Sheriff's Office

SCAM ALERT!: I have heard from several citizens about an ongoing scam. It seems a robocall has been going out with many different phone numbers. The automated ...call tells the person that they are being contacted because a package has been shipped to their address containing drugs. Let me tell you with confidence that this is not how a real life situation works in a packaged drug scenario. I won’t give up the real process but can assure you this is a scam. If you receive the call please do not have any further communication with them. I am uncertain how this ends but am confident that it is not a legitimate call. Stay wide folks and have a great evening!

If you see Sheriff Brad Stinson today be sure to wish him a Happy 50th Birthday!!If you see Sheriff Brad Stinson today be sure to wish him a Happy 50th Birthday!!

I want to bring a fairly new scam to light that an employee and I experienced personally and then tell you how to overcome it. I ordered an inflatable raft on e...Bay from a seller with very low number on his ratings. A tracking number was sent to eBay and myself showing its progress in shipping. A few days later the item was delivered and was surprised it was not at my door. I contacted UPS and was told that the item was delivered from Amazon but was to a different address. This is when I noted that the weight of the delivered item was 1.7 lbs and my item was 22 lbs. So what did the scammer do to pull this off? First the item was about $30 cheaper then everyone else which lured me. So I purchased the item from scammer and he randomly picked an address in New London where I lived. Scammer buys a cheap item on Amazon and sends it to the random address. Scammer then sends me the tracking number for my more expensive item and scammer pockets the difference in money. (I am guessing well over a $100) When I disputed this with PayPal; I pointed out the difference in address and weight. However, 17 days later my claim was denied due to proof of a tracking number. I immediately called PayPal at (402) 935-7733 and explained to a person on the phone what happened. The customer service verified that the weight and address it was shipped to was different. They informed me that a full refund would be made to my account. So what to learn from my mistakes? Be diligent in purchasing from eBay! Make sure that you look at a sellers feedback. Scrutinize all sales when ordering online. Due to fraud; tracking numbers no longer have an address shown when looking them up. But you can verify from the carrier if it’s being delivered to your residence. Note the weight and shipping dates when a tracking number is given. If fraud does happen (package does not arrive) be slow to blame the carrier. Contact your credit card or PayPal to dispute it. Point out the address and weight differences or any other conflicting information. And if the case is denied - don’t give up! Speak to a human who can reason out the conflicts. More then likely they will refund you your money. Don’t let scammers win!!!!

Overnight and today the Sheriff’s Office received reports of suspicious activity and stealing in the Saverton area and nearby neighborhoods. As we continue to receive calls and tips, we wanted to advise that a suspect is in custody at this time. More information may be released in the future as appropriate.

The Ralls County Sheriff‘s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of former Ralls County Sheriff Dale Barnett. Dale began his law enforcement career in the St. Louis area before moving on to faithfully serve the citizens of this county for over 20 years as Perry Police Chief from 1975-1992 and Sheriff from 1992-1996. After retiring from law enforcement Dale continued to work and was always a friendly and active member of our community who will be greatly missed. Dale’s obituary and funeral arrangements are available in the attached link.

US 61 Northbound at New London is currently down to one lane for a traffic incident. Expect delays and please use caution when proceeding through the area.

PLEASE SHARE: At the intersection of West 1st St and US 61 in New London, road crews have the west bound lanes closed. The intersection of West 5th St and US 61 is completely closed. Our deputies along with New London Police Department have stopped numerous vehicles attempting to travel west in the east bound lanes, or trying to drive around the barricades. ... Please be mindful and pay attention to road signs.