Several local residents have been targeted recently for a fraud/scam that has been labeled as “virtual kidnapping”.   The caller tells the targeted victim that a grandson or other family member is in trouble, usually out of the country, and then they are given instructions on wiring or sending money electronically to solve the problem.

Are you putting too much personal information about your grandkids or other family members on your Facebook Page for all the world to see?  This scam is nothing new and it appears that the criminals are getting the relationship information from family social media pages.   It also appears that these criminals target elderly family members who might have only occasional contact with the family member that is “kidnapped”.

The F.B.I. suggests the following action if you receive one of these calls.

To avoid becoming a victim of this extortion scheme, look for the following possible indicators:

• Incoming calls come from an outside area code, sometimes from Puerto Rico with area codes (787), (939) and (856)
• Calls do not come from the kidnapped victim’s phone
• Callers go to great lengths to keep you on the phone
• Callers prevent you from calling or locating the “kidnapped” victim
• Ransom money is only accepted via wire transfer service

If you receive a phone call from someone who demands payment of a ransom for a kidnapped victim, the following should be considered:

• Try to slow the situation down. Request to speak to the victim directly. Ask, “How do I know my loved one is okay?”
• If they don’t let you speak to the victim, ask them to describe the victim or describe the vehicle they drive, if applicable.
• Listen carefully to the voice of the kidnapped victim if they speak.
• Attempt to call, text, or contact the victim via social media. Request that the victim call back from his or her cell phone.
• While staying on the line with alleged kidnappers, try to call the alleged kidnap victim from another phone.
• To buy time, repeat the caller’s request and tell them you are writing down the demand, or tell the caller you need time to get things moving.
• Don’t directly challenge or argue with the caller. Keep your voice low and steady.

Request the kidnapped victim call back from his/her cell phone.

Date: Thursday, June 30, 2016, 01:42 am
Location: 3854 SPID
Offense: Murder (PC 19.02) 1st Degree Felony
Case Number: 1606300015

Corpus Christi Police Officers were dispatched to 3854 SPID in reference to a nature unknown. Upon arrival officers located a 22 year old male in the parking lot bleeding from the head. The responding officers discovered that the victim had been stabbed several times. The victim was transported to Spohn Memorial where he died from his injuries at 2:07 am.

The preliminary information officers have is that there was a argument between two males. The argument escalated in the parking lot and at some point during this argument the victim was stabbed. A male subject wearing blue jeans and a white shirt was seen running from the location. Corpus Christi Homicide Detectives are actively working this homicide and are currently interviewing witnesses.

Anyone who knows any additional information about this crime 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.

Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2016, 01:33 am
Location: 4223 S. Alameda
Offense: Aggravated Assault/Family Violence (PC 22.02) 1st Degree Felony
Case Number: 1606290009

Corpus Christi Police Department officers were dispatched to 4223 S. Alameda in reference to a traffic accident with injuries. Officers contacted a witness who advised the incident was not an accident that a female purposely struck her boyfriend with the vehicle. Officers contacted the male victim who was in a lot of pain and would not cooperate with police officers. The male was taken to Doctors Regional Medical Center for treatment.

The witness advised that the incident started inside the bar and continued outside in the parking lot. The witness advised that he saw the 30 year old male strike the 29 year old female possibly knocking her unconscious. The female woke up, grabbed her keys and stated that she was going to hit the male with her car. The female drove her Nissan Altima directly at the male. The male was struck with the front of the car carrying him about 30 feet and then striking the building causing significant damage. The female struck another vehicle and fled the scene. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the female.

Anyone who knows any additional information about this crime 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.

Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2016, 8:13 am
Location: 3600 S. Saxet Dr.
Offense: Cruelty to non livestock animals (PC 42.092) 3rd Degree Felony
Case Number: 1606290045

Corpus Christi Police Officers arrested 20 year old Rosendo C. Gonzales (02-13-1996) for cruelty to non livestock animals.

Officers were called to 3600 S, Saxet Dr. after the Corpus Christi Fire Department responded to smoke in the area and located a dog carcass in a bar-b-que pit. Engine-5 had put the fire out prior to officers arriving. Officers observed the small dog inside the bar-b-que pit. Officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, but there was no response. Officers contacted family members who arrived at the scene. They were able to make contact with the suspect and gain entry into the house.

Rosendo was asked about the incident. He stated that he was petting the dog and was bit. He reacted causing serious injury to the dog. He panicked and put the dog on the bar-b-que pit in order to get “rid of it”. Officers arrested Rosendo and transported him to the City Detention Center.

Crime Scene Technician processed the scene. Animal Control Officers collected the carcass inside the bar-b-que pit in order to preserve evidence.

Animal Care and Vector services received confirmation today that a mosquito from our trap off the 2900 block of Lawton tested positive for West Nile Virus. The mosquito was collected last Tuesday.  Vector personnel will be out aerial spraying the neighborhood for the next three nights.

Directed patrol officers and neighborhood services personnel will be attempting to locate any standing water in the neighborhood including examining abandoned properties.

We need to remind local residents to check their property for standing water and to apply mosquito repellent to themselves and to their children.

If you have any questions please contact Asst. Chief Mark Schauer at 361-886-2606.

Date: Sunday, June 27, 2016, 12:18pm
Location: 6033 Leopard Street
Offense: Aggravated Assault/Family Violence (PC 22.02) 1st Degree Felony
Case Number: 1606270076

Corpus Christi Police Officer arrested 21 year old Virginia Fuentes (03/27/1995) for aggravated assault family violence at 6033 Leopard Street.

CCPD officers were dispatched to 6033 Leopard St. in reference to a disturbance with a weapon. The call was updated that a female was armed with a knife and chasing a male. Officers arrived and located the 56 year old victim outside the room. Officers contacted both subjects and separated them in an effort to find out what happened. The suspect, Virginia, was upset because she found a picture of a nude woman and that she and the victim were only arguing. A third officer arrived and contacted some witnesses. The witnesses advised that the heard  the two arguing from about sixty feet away. They then saw the victim being pushed out of the room and the door slammed shut. The witnesses advised the suspect, Virginia, exited the room with a large knife and followed the victim as he got into the drivers side of a vehicle. Virginia opened the passenger side door and was making a forward motion with her arm and it appeared that she was trying to cut the victim. Virginia exited the vehicle and cut the front passenger tire with the knife.

Due to Virginia’s action in trying to assault the victim, displaying the knife in a threatening manner and to prevent further violence from occurring, Virginia was arrested and transported to the City Detention Center.

Date: Sunday, June 27, 2016, 3:30pm
Location: 2900 Norton
Offense: Aggravated Robbery (PC 29.03) 1st Degree Felony
Case Number: 1606270152

Corpus Christi Police Officers were dispatched to 3533 S. Alameda, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, in reference to an assault. Contact was made with the 20 year old victim who had redness, swelling and bleeding all about his face.

The victim advised that he went to a convenient store on Norton. He advised he had a little bit of money which might have gotten the interest of two people at the store. The victim began to walk home when he was blind sided by the suspects and beaten about the face. The two suspects took the victims wallet and phone and were attempting to take his shoes. The suspects were unable to get his shoes possibly due to a citizen trying to help him.

The victim went home and told family members what had happened to him and he was immediately taken to the hospital. The victim was not able to get a description of the suspects due to him being attacked from behind.

Anyone who knows any additional information about this crime 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.

Date: Sunday, June 26, 2016, 11:40am
Location: 2000 Gardenia Courts
Offense: Assault Family Violence (PC 22.01) 3rd Degree Felony
Case Number: 1606260060

Corpus Christi Police arrested 19 year old Matthew Isaiah Longoria (03/04/1997) for assault with bodily injury/family violence at 2000 Gardenia Courts.

Officers received a call that a male was arguing with a female and that he was dragging her out of the apartment. Officers arrived and contacted a witness at the residence.  The witness stated that Longoria had smoked synthetic this morning and that he and the victim had been arguing and fighting since Friday. The witness stated that Longoria was upset because he wanted the victim to somewhere with him and she did not want to go. The witness stated that the victim went outside with the suspect who then began hitting the victim. The witness tried to pull the victim back inside the apartment but was over powered by the suspect.  The witness said she saw the suspect strike the victim several times and then choke her. CCPD officers located Longoria and the victim walking through the complex together. The 24 year old victim was not very cooperative with the investigating officers. The suspect (Longoria) was arrested and transported to the City Detention Center. Longoria was also charged with failure to identify for giving a false name to the arresting officers.

Date: Sunday, June 27, 2016, 2:29am
Location: 1455 Corban Drive
Offense: Aggravated Assault (Penal Code Section 22.02) 2nd Degree Felony
Case Number: 1606270015

Corpus Christi Police Officers responded to 1455 Corban Drive in reference to a disturbance with a gun. Officers received an update to the call that the victim had been hit in the head with the gun and the suspects were still on scene near a maroon Expedition. Officers arrived and observed two male suspects near the maroon Expedition who took off running when they saw the police. Officers gave chase but lost sight of the suspects as they ran in between buildings. A perimeter was set and K-9 searched the area but were unable to locate the suspects.

The victim advised that he had moved his vehicle from one parking spot to another. While he was outside his vehicle he was approached by the suspect who pointed a shotgun towards his face. The victim and the suspect exchanged some words and the second suspect appeared and told the suspect holding the shotgun to “finish him”.  The victim was struck in the head with the shotgun. The victim was able to flee and run into a nearby apartment and call the police. Officers located a shotgun at the scene and it was collected by Crime Scene Investigators.

Anyone who knows any additional information about this crime 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.

Date: 06/14/2016  08:20 p.m.
Location: 734 E Port Ave.
Offense: Family Violence Assault/Warrant
Case Number: 1606080069

On 6/14/2016 a detective from the CCPD Family Violence Unit spent her workday obtaining an arrest warrant on a 25 year old man who was accused of assaulting and choking his girlfriend. This accused offender was already on five years of probation for a similar incident.  The arrest warrant with a $75,000 bond was signed by a judge that afternoon. The detective finished her workday and headed to Whataburger Field to work off duty at a Hooks baseball game.

She was not at the game very long when the wanted offender walked right by her. The offender was accompanied by the same girlfriend, the victim of the assault.   The offender was arrested.

The judge that signed the warrant was also at that game.

Anyone who has been a victim of domestic violence should seek counsel from resources like the Women’s Shelter at (361) 881-8888.       thewomensshelter.org

http://www.ccpolice.com/government/ccpd/units-and-divisions/investigations-bureau/family-violence-unit

Date:  Friday, June 10, 2016   09:45 a.m.
Location:  6500 South Staples
Incident: Robbery
Case Number:  1606100049

A restaurant employee was robbed at about 09:45 this morning as she walked into her place of employment in the 6500 block of South Staples. She had just arrived at the restaurant after coming directly from a bank.   It appears that she was followed from that bank and then robbed in a manner consistent with a type of street crime known as “jugging”.

The Offenders in this mornings crime were described as three young black males. The suspect vehicle was described as an older model silver or gray four door car.

Corpus Christi was targeted for this type of crime early last year and the department responded with a massive public information effort, enhanced bank patrols, and undercover special assignments. Some of the offenders were identified and it was confirmed that they were part a well-organized street crimes gang from Houston.

All citizens, especially business employees, are once again asked to be very aware and vigilant when leaving the bank after any transaction.   It appears that the preferred method of the criminal is to follow the person from the bank and then take the money from a vehicle if the money is left in an unattended vehicle.   These types of criminals will also approach people to forcibly take the money if it was not left in the vehicle.

Anyone who can identify anyone involved in this robbery, or has any additional information about this crime should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or submit the information online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Crime Stoppers guarantees to keep the identity secret of anyone who provides information and if the information leads to an arrest, it could earn the caller a cash reward.