The Police Log is a digest of reports filed by the Cranston Police.

RECALLED TOO LATE

Officer Salvadore Sanchez said he was sent to 59 Bald Hill Rd. to assist Cranston Fire while they were putting out a car fire around 1:25 p.m. on Dec. 31 He said the fire was almost out when he arrived. The fire started in the engine compartment of a 1994 Ford Crown Victoria. The owner of the car told him he was running some errands when he stopped at a friend's house to wish him a happy New Year. He said he was inside the residence when he and his host smelled smoke. That was when he looked out and saw the car was engulfed in flames and called the fire department. The owner also said he got a notice from the Ford Motor Company informing him that there was a recall on all Crown Victorias because of an electrical hazard that could possible start a fire if not rectified. CFD told Sanchez there was nothing suspicious about the fire.

ANOTHER FIRE

Officer Matt Ricci reported a car fire on Route 295 around 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 3. He said Cranston Fire was already on the scene dealing with a fire in the back of a pickup truck. He spoke with the owner of the truck who said his passenger was smoking a cigarette and when he threw the butt out the passenger side window, it landed on the cargo he had in the bed of the truck and, a short time later, the load caught fire. The owner told Ricci he pulled over and attempted to pull the load off the truck and, when that didn't work, he left the tailgate open and accelerated but that did not help at all and the cargo remained ablaze until CFD got there.

Ricci said the truck sustained only minor damage and could be driven from the scene, but before the man left, Ricci said he advised the owner to pick up all the debris that was left on the road.

BRANCHING OUT

Officer Andrew Henault said a tree limb fell against the front of a house on Cleveland Avenue around noon on Jan. 3. He said the heavy branch was holding onto the tree with a small amount of bark, according to Henault, who said it appeared that the tree itself was on the edge of the sidewalk and appeared to be on city property. Henault advised the OIC about the tree and then called the city Highway Division to remove the limb. He said he met with the homeowner, who told him he would be out of his house for the next five hours.

WHY THEY GET CAUGHT

Officer Lee Sohn reported making a traffic stop while he was on a traffic detail at Cottage and Frankfort Streets on Jan. 7 when he stopped a car for running a stop sign at the intersection. He said he ran a check on the car and driver and found out the car's registration was suspended for lack of an inspection sticker. The Providence woman was cited for running the stop sign, driving a car with a suspended registration and driving a car without an inspection sticker. He said arrangements were made to remove the car from the street.

Another expired inspection sticker did the trick for a Providence man who was stopped on Elmwood Avenue after Officer Robert Skodras noticed the sticker on Jan. 9. He said he followed the car after he saw the sticker and pulled it over near Fenner Street. The 40-year-old man had an expired license and was taken to headquarters and processed and then transported to District Court.

ANOTHER BRANCH

Another branch fell off a tree on Jan. 7 but this time the branch laned on the high-tension wires on Comstock Parkway around 10:40 a.m. and caught fire. Officer Shane O'Donnell said CFD came and put out the fire immediately. National Grid, Verizon Telephone and Cox Cable were all notified and went to work after the fire was out.