All posts by Kirk Stowers

Criminal Investigations Division

Police Warn Public of Potential Phone Scam

Corpus Christi Police would like help from the public to identify the person in this phone record. A person in the Corpus Christi community received a phone call on August 16, 2015 from 361-219-4997 by a person who identified them self as Lieutenant Wade Harris and claimed the person called had a warrant for their arrest. The person who received the phone call did not believe the caller and then called the Corpus Christi Police and learned there is no Wade Harris employed by the Corpus Christi Police, there was no warrant for their arrest, and this may be a scam.

Any person contacted by phone about any warrant for their arrest should ask several questions to determine if the caller is legitimate. A law enforcement officer who contacts a person by phone about a warrant for arrest will provide specific information such as the agency the Officer represents, the Officer’s name, the exact charge against the person for which the warrant has been issued, a phone number for the agency, and the Officer will never demand money in an effort to avoid or delay arrest.
Anyone with any information or questions about this caller should call the Corpus Christi Police at 361-886-2600.

Update:

A 71-year-old man reported to the Corpus Christi Police on August 21, 2015 that he provided over $800 dollars to a person who claimed to be Lance Dobson, a Deputy with the Nueces County Sheriff’s Department, and claimed the 71-year-old man had a warrant for his arrest. The 71-year-old man told Officers he provided payment to Dobson by telling the card numbers from Paypal cards in order to avoid an imminent arrest. The 71-year-old man said Dobson called from the number 361-219-9147. The Corpus Christi Police Financial Crimes began to investigate this crime and determined there is no Lance Dobson employed with the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office, and the Deputies do not identify their agency as the Sheriff’s Department. Detectives also determined there was no warrant for the arrest for the 71 year old man. Detectives want the public to be aware of this scam and only pay any fine or court costs to the court directly and never over the phone.

Community Outreach

City Hosts Vehicle Auction Saturday

7-31-2015 11-48-35 AM

The city of Corpus Christi will auction 82 cars, trucks, and motorcycles at the  Police Vehicle Impound Lot, located at 5485 Greenwood Drive, on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at 10:00am.

The general public is encouraged to register and view the vehicles for auction from 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Friday, July 31 or August 1 from 8am until the start of the auction. No one under 17 years of age will be allowed in the impound lot or auction lot areas. Only registered bidders with a current bidder number will be allowed in the auction sale area on Saturday. 

The vehicles for auction may be viewed online and an auction list may be downloaded from www.siskauction.com.

Criminal Investigations Division

Crime Stoppers Offers Cash Reward to Apprehend Murder Suspect

Cleto Vasquez III (9/1/1962) Wanted in Nueces County for Murder
Cleto Vasquez III
(9/1/1962)
Wanted in Nueces County for Murder

Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information which leads to the capture of 52-year-old Cleto Vasquez (9/1/1962). Vasquez has a warrant for his arrest out of Nueces County for Murder. Vasquez is accused of killing 33-year-old Daniel Torres over the July 4th weekend in Robstown this year. The warrants service section of the  Nueces County Sheriff’s Office would like help from the public to locate Vasquez.

Vasquez is described as a 52-year-old man, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 150 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. Vasquez has been seen in Corpus Christi in 2013 at the 3200 block of South Port and his last known address was on the 4500 block of Pecos Street in Robstown.

Anyone with any information which can lead law enforcement to locate Vasquez should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the information online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Crime Stoppers guarantees anonymity to anyone who provides information to Crime Stoppers. Information provided to Crime Stoppers which leads to an arrest may earn the caller a cash reward.

Criminal Investigations Division, Delta District

Man Steals Purse From Woman As She Pumps Fuel

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2015: 18:59
Location: 1303 Third Street
Offense: Burglary of a Vehicle (Penal Code Section 30.04) Class A Misdemeanor
Case Number: 1507230125

Corpus Christi Police are investigating a Burglary case in which a man stole a purse from the front seat of a car while a 73-year-old woman pumped fuel in the car at a convenience store located at 1303 Third Street on July 23rd.

A 73-year-old woman stopped to buy fuel at about 7pm on Thursday, July 23rd, 2015. While the woman stood on the driver’s side of the vehicle to put fuel into her white, 2015 Lexus, a man walked up to the vehicle on the passenger side, opened the front passenger side door, and took the woman’s purse from inside the vehicle. The man then closed the door, walked in front of the vehicle past the woman to a dark-colored vehicle parked on the other side of the fuel pump. The man placed the purse in the dark-colored vehicle, got into the drivers seat, and drove away. The woman finished pumping fuel, entered her vehicle and discovered the purse gone.

Corpus Christi Police Detectives assigned to the Auto Theft Task Force obtained video of the actual crime in progress and have made the video available for the public to view to ask for help to identify the suspect.

Detectives have obtained an image of a man and woman who are not suspects in this crime, but Detectives believe the man and woman may have information valuable to this case, so Detectives would like to speak to the man and woman.

persons_of_interest

Anyone who can identify this thief who stole the purse from the 73-year-old woman, or anyone who has any additional information about this crime should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the information online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Information provided to Crime Stoppers which results in an arrest may earn the caller a cash reward.

Bravo District, Criminal Investigations Division

Man Steals Camera From Seafood Market

Vertical color Crime Stoppers logo 2015

Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2015, 3:30am
Location: 9810 South Padre Island Drive
Offense: Theft (Penal Code Section 31.03) Class B Misdemeanor
Case Number: 1507170127

Corpus Christi Police Property Crimes Detectives would like help from the public to identify a man accused of stealing a surveillance video camera from the entrance to a Seafood Market on July 15, 2015.

Detectives have video of the man as he walked up the walkway to the camera and took the camera without permission. The suspect is  described as a male about 5`8 to 5`10 tall weighing approximately 150lbs to 200lbs, 30-40 years of age, wearing blue jeans shorts and a white short sleeve shirt, white cap, black shoes and had a red mustache and red facial hair.

Anyone who can identify this person or has any additional information about this crime should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the information online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Information provided to Crime Stoppers which results in an arrest may earn the caller a cash reward.

Charlie District, Criminal Investigations Division

Two Men Steal Metal From Grocery Store

1507080089 1 1507080089 2 1507080089 3 1507080089 5 1507080089 9Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2015, 12:56pm
Location: 5425 South Padre Island Drive
Offense: Theft of Metal (Penal Code Section 31.03) State Jail Felony
Case Number: 1507080089

The Corpus Christi Police Property Crimes Detectives would like help from the public to identify and locate two men who stole about $2,000 dollars worth of metal from a grocery store located at 5425 South Padre Island Drive on July 8, 2015.

Detectives received video on July 13m 2015 which the Detectives noticed the two Offenders are male, but it is not clear what race/ethnicity they are as the camera is positioned at too great a distance. According to Detectives, both men appear to be about 20 to 30 years of age. The Detectives say there are two suspect vehicles involved, one of which appears to be an older model 2 door Chevy Trailblazer, Gray in color. The second is an older model White Dodge Ram 1500 extra cab.

Anyone who can identify these men, or has any additional information about this crime should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the information online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Information provided to Crime Stoppers which leads to an arrest may earn the caller a cash reward.

Vertical color Crime Stoppers logo 2015

Delta District, Patrol Division, Traffic Safety Division

Officer Wrangles Snake At Crash Scene on Harbor Bridge

Corpus Christi Police Officer Jason Lee holds a Ball Python at a crash scene on the Harbor Bridge
Corpus Christi Police Officer Jason Lee holds a Ball Python at a crash scene on the Harbor Bridge
Corpus Christi Animal Care Services accepted to hold this pet named "Rocky" after the snakes owner was taken to jail.
Corpus Christi Animal Care Services accepted to hold this pet named “Rocky” after the snakes owner was taken to jail.

Date: Saturday, July 18, 2015, 7:47am
Location: 2500 State Highway 181 southbound lanes
Offense: Driving While Intoxicated (Penal Code Section 49.04) Class B Misdemeanor
Case Number: 1507180047

A Corpus Christi Police Officer wrangled a snake as he worked a vehicle crash on the Harbor Bridge Saturday morning.

Corpus Christi Police Officer Jason Lee started his shift for the day at 7:38am and responded to a single vehicle crash on the southbound lanes of the Harbor Bridge headed from North Beach to downtown Corpus Christi. Officer Lee saw a green 1997 Chevy Suburban had crashed into the concrete wall on the right side of the bridge. Officer Lee arrested the driver of the Suburban, 40-year-old Andreas Garcia (12/11/1974) for driving while intoxicated. Officer Lee learned that Garcia had a pet snake, a three-foot long Ball Python named, “Rocky” in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Officer Lee discovered that the glass aquarium which housed the snake was broken in the crash and Officer Lee got the snake safely, and requested Corpus Christi Animal Care Services to care for the snake while Garcia was delivered to the city detention center. Animal Care Services did accept the snake and believe the snake was not injured in the crash. Garcia was not injured in the crash and Officer Lee took Garcia to the hospital for medical clearance and to collect a blood specimen for evidence, then delivered Garcia to the city detention center. The Suburban was taken to the city impound lot, and the bridge was returned open to normal use.

Bravo District, Criminal Investigations Division

Detectives Obtain Warrant For Indecency with a Child

Update:
The Corpus Christi Police Detectives assigned a burglary case last November obtained an arrest warrant for 37-year-old Scott King (6/3/1977) for Indecency with a Child, a second degree felony with a $75,000 dollar bond. The arrest warrant was obtained from Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Joe Benavides. The United States Marshal’s Service arrested King and delivered him to the Nueces County Jail.
King was in the house when Officers arrived and Officers were told there was a stranger who forced entry into the home. The Officers found no evidence to support any person from outside had entered the home prior to law enforcement arrival, and Detectives gathered information and evidence to support an accusation against King for criminal conduct. Detectives obtained the warrant and King was arrested. The original information released to the public which appeared in a patrol report for November 6, 2014 is:

“Bravo” District
Date: 11/06/2014        12:20 AM
Location: 6300 Oso Parkway
Offense: Investigation of Burglary and Assault
Case Number: 1411060005
A 29-year-old mother called Corpus Christi Police after she was awoken by her 10-year-old daughter who told her that someone had been in her bedroom.

The daughter said that she woke to find a man standing by her bed.  The man fled, and the daughter ran to her mother’s room and told her.  The mother then went to wake the child’s father who was sleeping in another room in the house.

The parents contacted police, and officers arrived to investigate.  It is unknown how the suspect made it into the home since no forced entry was found.  The child was not seriously injured but was taken to the hospital. Corpus Christ Police continue to investigate this case and no suspects have been arrested.

Bravo District, Charlie District, Delta District, Gang Unit, Patrol Division

Patrol Report July 13, 2015

This is a sample of the criminal complaints made to the Corpus Christi Police Department during the weekend of July 11 and 12, 2015.

“Bravo” District

Date: Friday, July 10, 2015, 18:05
Location: 4302 Ocean Drive
Offense: Unlawful Carrying a Handgun (Penal Code Section 46.02) Class A Misdemeanor
Case Number: 1507100115
Corpus Christi Police arrested 26-year-old Dallas Murrow (12/15/1988) for unlawfully carrying a handgun at the 4300 block of Ocean Drive Friday night.
Corpus Christi Police responded to a complaint of a suspicious person at the Riviera Condos at 6:05pm Friday night.  Officers saw the individual leave on a motorcycle. The Officers saw that the motorcycle had expired vehicle registration so the Officers conducted a traffic stop.  Officers contacted Murrow and discovered Murrow had a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear on a charge of Possession of dangerous drugs. Officers discovered Murrow had a handgun in the waistband of his pants and learned that Murrow was not issued a concealed handgun license. Officers discovered what Officers believe is methamphetamine, and marijuana in Murrow’s pockets. Murrow was arrested for unlawful carrying a handgun, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and for the warrant for his arrest. Officers impounded the motorcycle and delivered Murrow to the city detention center.

“Charlie” District

Date: Saturday, July 11, 2015, 1:58am
Location: 1700 Horne Road
Offense: Arson (Penal Code Section 28.02) 2nd Degree Felony
Case Number: 1507110019
Corpus Christi Police responded to a house fire on the 1700 block of Horne Road Saturday morning and believe that the fire was intentionally set. No person was inside the home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. Arson Investigators are working to locate the residents of the home.

Date: Sunday, July 12, 2015, 1:54am
Location: 1900 State Highway 286
Offense: Discharge a Firearm Inside the City Limits with injury (Penal Code Section 42.12) Class A Misdemeanor
A 32-year-old woman reported to Corpus Christi Police that she was injured by gunfire on some ranch somewhere in Nueces County, possibly inside Corpus Christi, Sunday morning. The 32-year-old woman showed up in the emergency room for treatment for a gunshot to her left arm bicep. The 32-year-old woman told Officers she and others had consumed alcohol and went for a drive, then stopped along the side of the road in an area not familiar to her and the group discharged firearms into the field. The 32-year-old woman told Officers the group drove back into town when the husband of the 32-year-old woman sat in the back seat as he manipulated a handgun when the firearm discharged in the vehicle which struck the left arm of the 32-year-old woman. The Emergency Room staff told Officers the injury was not life threatening. Officers went to the 1400 block of Casa De Oro and located a 30-year-old man who is the husband to the 32-year-old woman. The Officers gathered information which led Officers to believe the firearm discharge was not intentional, and no arrests were made at this time. The Officers seized two handguns and continue to gather facts, evidence and information related to this event.

“Delta” District

Date: Saturday, July 11, 2015, 16:19
Location: 2800 Ruth Street
Offense: Deadly Conduct (Penal Code Section 22.05) 3rd Degree Felony
Case Number: 1507110101
Corpus Christi Police arrested 34-year-old Debbie Guerrero (2/20/1981) for Deadly Conduct after a shooting that happened on the 2800 block of Ruth Street Saturday afternoon. Corpus Christi Police responded to a complaint of a shooting at 4:20pm and did not find any injured person, but witnesses provided a description of the suspect vehicle to Officers. Officers found the suspect vehicle at Baldwin and Cleo and gathered evidence both from the scene and from the vehicle. Gang Unit Officers obtained a search warrant for a home where the shooting is believed to take place, and Officers arrested Guerrero, who was the operator of the suspect vehicle. No injuries or property damage was reported.

Date: Sunday, July 12, 2015, 2:54am
Location: 500 N. Shoreline Boulevard
Offense: Aggravated Assault Against a Public Servant (Penal Code Section 22.02) 1st Degree Felony
Corpus Christi Police arrested 24-year-old Benjamin Medina (3/5/1991) for aggravated assault against a public servant on the 500 block of North Shoreline Boulevard Sunday morning for putting a knife to the throat of a Security Guard for the bank. A 44-year-old man told Officers he is a uniformed security guard on duty at 500 North Shoreline and at 2:54am, an unknown man approached the 44-year-old man in the parking garage. The 44-year-old man explained to Officers that the 44-year-old man sat in his car when the unknown man, who was later identified as Medina, approached the 44-year-old man and asked for a ride. The 44-year-old man told Officers he refused to give Medina a ride because he was on duty. The 44-year-old man told Officers Medina reached for the 44-year-old man’s phone and then displayed a knife and put the blade to the 44-year-old man’s throat when the 44-year-old man kept the phone away from Medina. The 44-year-old man told Officers he exchanged words with Medina, when Medina lowered the blade and walked away. Officers located Medina near a fast food restaurant and arrested Medina for Aggravated Assault Against a Public Servant. The 44-year-old man said he was not injured and refused medical treatment. Officers delivered Medina to the city detention center.

Search the website Crimereports.com to research all reported criminal activity in Corpus Christi. Anyone who knows any additional information about these crimes should contact the Corpus Christi Police Department at 886-2840. Information about unsolved crimes may be provided to investigators anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or online at 888TIPS.com. Information provided to Crime Stoppers which results in an arrest may earn the caller a cash reward.

Bravo District, Narcotics/Vice Division

Another Crime Stoppers Tip Leads to Narcotics & Guns

16 ounces of marijuana, several types of pills packaged for street sales, all with a street value of $3,100.00 along with three rifles, a shotgun, and a pistol seized based on a Crime Stoppers tip.
16 ounces of marijuana, several types of pills packaged for street sales, all with a street value of $3,100.00 along with three rifles, a shotgun, and a pistol seized based on a Crime Stoppers tip.

Date: Friday, July 10, 2015, 12:17pm
Location: 7446 Skyking Drive
Offense: Possession of Marijuana (Health and Safety Code Section 481.121) State Jail Felony
Case Number: 1507100063

The Corpus Christi Police Narcotics Vice Investigations Division arrested three people and seized 16 ounces of marijuana with an estimated street value of $3,100 dollars after the Investigators served a search warrant at 7446 Skyking at 12:17pm Thursday as the result of an investigation based on a tip to Crime Stoppers.

Narcotics and Vice Investigators researched neighborhood complaints and a Crime Stoppers tip and discovered evidence of the sale of contraband from the home and developed enough information to obtain a search warrant for the premises. Narcotics Investigators seized 448 grams (16 ounces) of hydroponic marijuana and several types of pills packaged for street sales as a result of the search warrant. The Investigators also seized three rifles, a shotgun, and a pistol from the home.

Narcotics Investigators arrested 36-year-old Erik Orlando Roblez (11-21-78), 32-year-old Erin Kristen Roblez (7-16-82), and 31-year-old Jeanette Olivarez (9-25-83), all charged with felony possession of marijuana.

Anyone with information about narcotics sales can provide the information to Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the information online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Investigators need specific information in the tip. If the information leads to an arrest, it could earn the tipster a cash reward.

The person who provided this Crime Stoppers tip should call back to 888-TIPS (8477) on Thursdays to check on the status of their tip. Once the reward is ready for collection, the tipster will be provided with instructions to collect the reward. Crime Stoppers will never ask for their name and guarantees to keep their identity secret. They will be identified by a code number the tipster was provided when they first provided the tip. Crime Stoppers is a non-profit group that is funded solely by donations and there are no tax dollars spent on the Crime Stoppers program.