Teens charged with stealing from cars

Three teenagers were arrested Thursday on suspicion of stealing from unlocked cars in Cape Girardeau Thursday morning. Jesse C. Essner, 19, of 520 Koch Ave., and Corie L. Buckner, 18, of 3858 Whitener Ave., received city summonses and a 16-year-old boy was cited into juvenile court for stealing, police spokesman Jason Selzer said. They are accused of stealing a cell phone from a vehicle on Perryville Road, he said. The trio was caught after a woman called police when she saw a suspect going through her vehicle. A police canine tracked the suspects to Howell Street, where an officer spotted the teens in a vehicle. The stolen cell phone, along with change, were found in the teenagers' possession, Selzer said.

Cigarette may have started Sikeston fire

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A fire that destroyed a VFW lodge in Sikeston was likely caused by a discarded cigarette. Firefighters responded to the lodge at 9:03 p.m. Tuesday and extinguished the blaze around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Following an eight-hour investigation, the blaze appears to have begun in a corner next to a bar where a waste container is kept, according to a news release from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. From all indications, the fire likely began in the trash container from a discarded, lit cigarette, the release stated. The lodge, which had its ceiling collapse during the firefighting efforts, was a complete loss, Capt. Jim Hailey said.

Cape officers investigate report of shots fired

A call of shots fired Thursday night left Cape Girardeau police officers with shell casings but no suspects. Officers responded to the call at 11:28 p.m. at the intersection of Benton and Good Hope streets, police spokesman Jason Selzer said. A witness reported he heard several shots fired into the air from a 1990s-model Chevrolet Lumina. The vehicle was never located, but officers found seven shell casings from a .380 automatic weapon at the intersection, Selzer said. No property damage to homes or vehicles were reported, and the rounds likely did not hit anything. No suspects were in custody.

-- From staff reports