The following information was compiled from Renton Police Department case reports.

The 35-year-old Seattle woman parked her car at the Renton Community Center the afternoon of June 4 and went for a bike ride on the Cedar River Trail.

When she returned about three hours later, there was something hanging down the underside of her 2003 Honda Element.

Someone had tried to cut off her catalytic converter with a welding torch, which was now hanging by a couple wires. A flint stick used to ignite the torch was lying on the ground.

Apparently, whoever was trying to steal the catalytic converter was scared off before completing the deed. Damage was estimated at about $1,600.

ASSAULTED AND DRUNK: A 38-year-old Seattle man was found lying on the ground and bleeding from the mouth near the downtown Renton Library at about 10:15 p.m. June 6.

An officer thought he was going in and out of consciousness, but then smelled the alcohol on his breath and his speech was slurred.

He told the officer he was punched by a man who may go by the initials “BR.” He was taken to Valley Medical Center.

MELEE IN PARKING LOT: A melee involving about six men broke out in the parking lot of Fred Meyer on Renton Center Way at about 8 p.m. June 6.

The victim, a 26-year-old Bellingham man, was provoked into a pushing match and fight. He and witnesses described the other men, who had fled but were spotted nearby by officers, including one on the railroad tracks.

Three bottles of Absolut vodka were found on one of the men, with the Fred Meyer security devices still attached. Two men were booked into the SCORE regional jail, both for investigation of assault, and the 18-year-old Renton man for possession of minor in possession of alcohol.

COOKING FIRE: The Renton officer smelled the smoke and saw its plume before he saw flames from a 39-year-old Renton man’s fire near a garage on South Second Street in downtown Renton.

The man wanted to cook some food, so he started a fire at about 2 a.m. June 5 about three feet from a wooden structure. It was a hot dry night.

The man had been drinking; he wouldn’t acknowledge that he was endangering the building. The fire department put out the flames.

The man was released because the officer needed to respond to a priority call. A citation for second-degree reckless burning was sent to Renton prosecutors.

ARSON FIRE: A 25-year-old Tacoma man was arrested June 6 after starting a fire burning against the wall of Lee’s Martial Arts building on South Third Street.

A neighboring business owner, who earlier had asked the suspect to leave his property, noticed the small fire at about 9:30 a.m. He put out the fire and noticed the suspect standing nearby.

Security video showed the suspect writing obscenities on the wall and placing men’s and women’s shoes on a pile of pine wood.

Using a can of Old Spice body spray and a lighter, he set a shoe and piece of wood on fire and watched from a nearby Dumpster.

He was booked into the SCORE regional jail for investigation of third-degree malicious mischief and second-degree reckless burning.

TRESPASSING AGAIN: A 27-year-old Seattle man who has done so before was stopped by Boeing security the afternoon of May 19 for entering Boeing Renton plant at 737 Logan Ave. N.

When asked to leave, he wouldn’t and officers were called.

He mentioned he had a warrant, which turned out to be from Union Gap near Yakima.

He was booked into SCORE jail for investigation of second-degree criminal trespass.

CAR TIRED, JACKED: A Honda Accord reported stolen from the University District was found May 15 at the Wasatch Hills apartments on Stevens Avenue Southwest, with a spare tire holding up the front and a jack holding up the back.

The thieves had stolen two tires and replaced them with the spare and jack.

Inside the Honda, officers spotted pieces of folded aluminum foil with what appeared to be residue from burned heroin. The car’s stereo also was missing.

The car’s owner assured officers that her daughter, a UW student, who drives the car, is a 4.0 student and doesn’t use heroin.

Family members were bringing replacement tires.