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News/events from Corpus Christi Police. This site is not monitored. Call 911 for emergencies. Comments, list of followers subject to public disclosure.
Charlie District

Wrong Way Driver Arrested for DWI

12.23.2011/2:23 a.m.    D.W.I.    2800 SH 358 (SPID) EB    112230019

Officers responded to a major accident in the 2800 block of SH 358 (S.P.I.D.).  Gonzalo Reyes (3-1-84) had driven his Dodge Neon onto the freeway the wrong way up the Kostoryz off ramp.  One car avoided him but a one-ton Chevrolet truck, pulling a 40 foot float trailer, was unable to take evasive action.  The Neon struck the driver’s side with its right front fender, causing the truck and trailer to jackknife.  Reyes fled the scene, but was brought back by his father shortly thereafter. Reyes was booked for D.W.I.

 

Delta District

No Beer Here

 12/22/11, 8:15 p.m.  Burglary – Aggravated Assault   2745 Rogers    1112220119

Officers and medics were dispatched to 2745 Rogers for a stabbing that had just occurred. Upon arrival they contacted a 67-year-old male victim with injuries to his arm.

He informed Officers that he was sleeping when a neighbor came into the victim’s home uninvited. The neighbor was demanding beer from the victim. When the victim stated that he did not have any beer the neighbor became irate and began to assault him, stabbing him in the process with a kitchen knife.

The suspect, described as a  31-year-old male, fled the scene prior to the arrival of Officers.

The victim was treated at the scene by medics.  The steak knife was collected by crime scene personnel as evidence.

Narcotics/Vice Division

Narcotics/Vice Bust – 4418 Moravian

In continuing the efforts of “Keeping Corpus Christi Safe” Narcotics/Vice Officers executed a search warrant at 4418 Moravian, after conducting an undercover operation at this address.
During the search officers recovered :
65 grams Crack – Value $ 2,500.00
55 grams Cocaine – Value $ 2,000
56 grams Heroin – Value $ 2,400
5.56 grams marijuana – Value $ 500.00
4 – New flat screen televisions in box
Arrested was Daniel Jimenez (10.7.1983)
4418 Moravian - Narcotics4418 Moravian - Televisions
4418 Moravian - Televisions
Gang Unit

Wanted – Gang Member

Corpus Christi Police Department Gang Unit
Most Wanted Gang Member of the Week

 

This week our Most Wanted Gang Member of the Week is Phillip Cantu (11.13.1989) who is wanted for Probation Violation for Burglary of a Habitation with no bond.

Anyone having any information on the whereabouts of Phillip Cantu is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or  log onto the Crimes Stoppers website at www.888TIPS.com.

Community Outreach

C.C. PAL Participant’s Annual Christmas Banquet

The Corpus Christi Police Athletic League, or C.C. PAL, is hosting its annual Christmas Banquet.  Tonight’s dinner honors the boys and girls who take part C.C. PAL’s different programs.

The holiday gathering which is expected to serve 500 kids and their parents, volunteers and police officers, begins at 6:00 p.m. at Gulf Coast Racing, 5302 Leopard.  The event will include a free smoked turkey dinner with all the trimmings, live music and a visit from Santa Claus.  Each child will receive a gift.  The event is being made possible through donations.

C.C. PAL currently serves 2,600 local children, from ages three to 18 years old.  It offers different educational programs and sports activities for at-risk youth.   C.C. PAL is funded through grants and donations and its largest contributor is Valero Energy Corporation.  Earlier this year, the program received $81,000 from a refinery dove hunt and $14,000 from a company golf tournament.

For more information contact Senior Officer Jose Olivares at (361) 876-8116, Senior Officer David Morris at (361) 883-2725 or (361) 883-2725.

 

Community Outreach

70th Police Academy to assist in “Shop with a Cop”.

The Corpus Christi Police Department’s Training Division will be sending 18 cadets from the 70th Police Academy to assist with the 14th Annual “Shop with a Cop” program tomorrow, December 8, 2011.

Trisha Dang, the instructor for the morning and the Police Department’s legal advisor, made the decision to forgo class in the spirit of Christmas and send the cadets to help out with “Shop with a Cop”. This decision was not made lightly as the cadet’s academic success is paramount for their completion of the academy. Ms. Dang and the cadets worked very hard to get ahead in their lesson plan so they could take the morning off from their studies to help give the children in the community a nice Christmas surprise.

The cadets from the 70th Police Academy will meet tomorrow with other local law enforcement officers at the Wal-Mart in Flour Bluff at 8:45am.

Adam District, Criminal Investigations Division

Bank Robbery Suspects in Custody

UPDATE AT 9:24 p.m., 12/6/2011             4:00pm  Robbery (Suspects Arrested)    3640 Leopard (Safari Inn)

At around 4:oo p.m. Officers and U.S. Marshals with the Gulf Coast Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force located a possible suspect, in the Charter Northwest Bank Robbery, near the Safari Inn at 3640 Leopard. Further investigation led them to a room where three other individuals were located within at the hotel. All four of the individuals were detained and transported to the Police Main Station for questioning.

Detectives were able to identify Victor Gutierrez (1.22.1968) as the person in the video surveillance footage from the robbery. He was charged. While awaiting transport to jail, Gutierrez claimed a medical emergency. Medic units responded to the Main Station and transported Gutierrez to the hospital to be seen by physicians, while still under guard by Officers. Once cleared at the hospital, Gutierrez was transported to the City Detention Center.

The female seen on the video, Francisca Cuellar (3.2.1984) was arrested on a Parole Violation and taken to the City Detention Center. Detectives will continue the investigation to determine her role in the Robbery.

The two other individuals were interviewed and released by Detectives.

 

 

Occurred on 12/06/11, 12:29 p.m.  Robbery   10502 Leopard Street     1112060047

Officers responded to the Charter Bank for a bank robbery involving two suspects.  Upon their arrival, Officers contacted bank personnel who reported a Hispanic male accompanied by a Hispanic female passed one of the tellers a note demanding money.  The note stated the male was armed with a firearm.

The teller complied with the demands and the suspects fled on foot southbound towards Leopard Street taking with them an undetermined amount of money.

The first suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 30 to 35 years of age, 5’5″ to 5’8″ feet tall, and weighing 180 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a red shirt with a bear logo on it.  No weapon was seen

The second suspect is described as a curly-haired Hispanic female, 35 to 40 years of age, 5’2″ to 5’5″ feet tall, and weighing 130 lbs.  She was last seen wearing a hooded turquoise jacket and blue jeans.

Anyone having any information regarding this crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or the Corpus Christi Police Department Homicide/Robbery Bureau 361-886-2841.

Community Outreach

Holiday Enforcement Safety Plan 2011

Corpus Christi Police Department Holiday Season Safety Plan 2011 

The Corpus Christi Police Department has finalized it 2011 Holiday Season Safety Plan. During the additional enforcement initiative, which begins November 25th and will continue through December 30th, 2011, Officers from several divisions will combine resources to ensure that our citizens enjoy a safe and crime-free holiday season.  This year’s plan provides for increased traffic with enhanced DWI enforcement throughout the city.

As many as 24 additional Officers from the Uniform Division, Traffic Safety Division, Narcotics – Vice, the Auto Theft Task Force and the Criminal Investigation Division will redirect their enforcement efforts on the busiest shopping areas in town.  Among the areas targeted for increased patrol are:

  • La Palmera Mall
  • Moore Plaza
  • Sunrise Mall
  • The Promenade
  • Gulf Way Shopping Center
  • Saratoga Town Center
  • Island Gate Plaza
  • Other busy shopping areas and restaurants along S.P.I.D.

Increased Enforcement

Each day, this assignment will have Officers to supplement the normal contingent of patrol officers who work these areas.  Officers will stagger their work days to ensure adequate coverage seven days a week, with the heaviest concentration of Officers reporting on the weekends.  Shoplifting, auto burglary, auto theft, purse snatching, and robbery are the most common offenses committed by lawbreakers who take advantage of “on the go” and sometimes distracted holiday shoppers.

Officers will be conducting frequent high visibility patrol through the parking lots and be on the lookout for criminals who might choose to prey upon busy shoppers.

Five plain clothes Detectives from the Auto Theft Task Force will also randomly patrol the parking lots and busy shopping areas, attempting to spot crimes in progress.

In addition to patrolling the parking lots, Auto Theft Force Officers will also employ a patrol car equipped with an automated license plate reader.  This vehicle automatically reads thousands of license plates per hour and alerts the Officer whenever a stolen vehicle is encountered.

Traffic Control

Throughout the holiday shopping season, Traffic Officers will direct their efforts toward ensuring a safe and smooth flow of traffic into and out of the malls and other busy shopping areas.

Beginning Friday, November 25th, a minimum of eight Traffic Officers, including four Motorcycle Officers, will be assigned to provide traffic control and enforcement at the major intersections along S.P.I.D., as well as the entrances and exits to the malls and major shopping centers.

Parking Enforcement will put two Officers out to enforce disabled parking throughout the city and will assist uniformed officers in keeping watch for suspicious subjects and events.

DWI Enforcement

Two grants will allow the Department to put additional Officers on the street to focus on DWI enforcement; the STEP grant reimburses overtime costs to hire an additional three Officers Wednesday through Saturdays from 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

In addition to the overtime Officers, the Southside District has committed to assigning two Officers each night to DWI patrol between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.

During the Holiday shopping period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, six Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety will be assigned to assist CCPD officers using State DWI grant monies to increase DWI enforcement. This will be coupled with the District Attorney’s Office to sponsor no-refusal weekends.

Citizens in Support of CCPD graciously funded the posters that are around town and in stores urging people to think before getting behind the wheel drunk during the holidays.

The Holiday Initiative patrols are a continued effort for the  Corpus Christi Police Department to work as an equal partner with the community to reduce crime, the fear of crime and to enhance public safety.

The Crime Prevention Division of the Corpus Christi Police Department would like to include the following safety tips :

Holiday Safety Tips 

During this holiday season, it’s important to be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times.  It’s a perfect opportunity for criminals to commit their crimes. Below are a few safety tips to keep in mind for a safe and happy holiday season.

  • Park in well-lighted spaces and as close to the store as possible, lock your car doors, and hide packages in the trunk or under seats.
  • Do not carry large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card if possible.
  • Carry your purse tightly and closely to your body.  Do not carry it by the straps as thieves can easily snatch the purse.
  • Put wallets inside coat or front pants pocket.
  • Do not carry excessive packages while shopping. Place them in the trunk or take them home.
  • Teach your children to look for a police officer or contact a store security guard in the event they become lost or separated.
  • Be aware of suspicious strangers approaching you this holiday season. These are con-artists who are planning to distract you with the intention of taking your money and belongings.
  • Be aware of individuals attempting to sell you items in parking lots.  These items may be stolen goods.
  • For online shopping, only shop with companies you know.
  • Always keep your password private and stray away from using social security numbers or birthdates.
Community Outreach, Criminal Investigations Division

Citizen Alert on Online Bank Phishing Scams

The Corpus Christi Police Department has been made aware that several banks were a target of online phishing scams where their customers were contacted by email. The scam went on to ask customers to login to an attached website address, that was not an official bank site. While these types of emails go out on a daily basis, according to FraudWatch International.com, 14 different banks were mentioned on November 8, 2011.

The Corpus Christi Police Department would like to remind citizens to check with their banks directly before giving any information on an online email or follow a request to change usernames and passwords. While many of the emails look legitimate by adding the bank official logos they simply redirect customers to third-party websites in other countries.

Here are few tips to follow regarding online banking:

1. Use https when logging into banking and credit card sites, utilizing a “secure” connection.

2. Don’t be fooled by emails. If you are asked to “reply” to a bank the best option is to pick up a phone and speak to someone directly.

3. Don’t be fooled by fake log in screens. Verify that the page you are on is actually the page of the banking institution that you do business with.

4. Reset your passwords often and make them tough to guess.

If you have received an email, that you believe may be a phishing scam, please contact your bank provider. Most bank websites have email addresses set up to contact them of phishing scams.

SAMPLE WORDING ON PHISHING  and FAKE BANK EMAILS

This is your online banking after verification processing was completed on 11/08/2011.

There are numbers of invalid attempts on your online banking:

This has placed an extra verification on your account .

Subsequent login attempt may have put your account on restrictions .

Please click here (which leads you to a third party site) to continue the verification process and ensure your account security.

Community Outreach, Criminal Investigations Division

Corpus Christi Auto Theft Task Force Offers Free VIN Etching

VIN Etching
VIN Etching

The Corpus Christi Police Department’s Auto Theft Task Force will be teaming up with Career Club students from Baker Middle School to providing free VIN etching on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Baker Middle School located at 3445 Pecan Street.

VIN etching involves the use of acid to etch your vehicle identification number into every window of your vehicle and is used as an anti theft deterrent.  It not only provides law enforcement with easy access to your VIN number in the case your call is stolen, it also provides identification in the event your car is being chopped up and sold for parts.   

For more information, please contact PaulaKay Olivarez at 886-2872.       

Baker VIN Etching Press Release