Date: 2/04/2016          3:55 AM
Location: 800 S. Shoreline
Offense: Agg. Robbery
P.C. 29.03     1st Degree Felony
Case Number: 1602040015

Corpus Christi Police Robbery Detectives need your help identifying these two suspects.

A 35 year old man was robbed of his wallet, jewelry, three cell phones and some cash by a group of people in the parking lot of a hotel located in the 800 block of South Shoreline Boulevard.

The man was not injured, and was able to tell Officers that the group of three males and two females were in a 2012 Toyota Tundra truck.  The victim told Officers that he had accepted a ride from the group after he had met them at a club on Everhart Road.  Once in the downtown area, the suspects wanted the victim to withdraw money from an ATM machine and give it to them.

The victim was only able to withdraw a small amount of cash from the ATM.  After that he was assaulted and the suspects took his wallet, a watch, a ring, three cell phones, and cash from the victim.

If you recognize these suspects or if you have information about this case please call the Corpus Christi Police Criminal Investigations Division at 886-2840. Anyone who would like to keep their identity secret and provide information to the Detectives should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Information provided to Crime Stoppers which results in an arrest may earn the caller a cash reward.

As tax time approaches, the Corpus Christi Police Dept. is warning taxpayers of an IRS phone scam that circulates during filing season. CCPD regularly receives reports from people who allege they have received calls from scammers impersonating IRS agents.

Although this scam isn’t new CCPD is again warning about this phone scam, stating the agency has seen a surge in reports of threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents.

IRS impersonators make threats of arrest, deportation and license revocation if they don’t receive immediate payment. The scammers then instruct the taxpayer to put money on a prepaid debit card or send payment via wire transfer. The IRS scam is currently trending on the BBB Scam Tracker, an online service that allows consumers to see types of scams being reported throughout the U.S. and read details of the scam. Consumers can view scams by state, by type of scam and dollar amount lost. Consumers can also use BBB Scam Tracker to report scam calls and offers they receive.

CCPD offers this advice to avoid getting scammed:

* Look out for “spoofing”. Part of scammers tactics include spoofing, which happens when the caller masks their own number and causes the number of a well-known service, like the IRS, to appear on caller ID. Also, the caller might give a badge number and know the last four digits of your Social Security number.

* Write down details. If you do get a call and are unsure, write down the phone number and name of the caller.

* Protect your personal information. Don’t provide any account number or other financial information over the phone.

* Know your rights. The IRS doesn’t request for prepaid debit cards or wire transfer payments, and will not ask for a credit card number over the phone. The IRS contacts taxpayers by mail.

* Don’t be bullied. Never trust callers who use threats and hostility to push you into doing what they want. Be skeptical of what a caller claims he or she can do if you refuse to meet their demand.

* Hang up and report it. If you’re unsure if the call is real, contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 or go to irs.gov. You can also file a complaint with your local BBB, or CCPD

On February 12, 1960 Sergeant Frank Dolan was killed in an automobile accident on Highway 624, near Orange Grove, while returning to Corpus Christi from a meeting in Alice.

His vehicle went out of control on a curve in the road during a period of snow and slushy conditions. His car was broadsided by another vehicle, causing him to suffer fatal injuries.

Sergeant Dolan was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Corpus Christi Police Department for 24 years. He was survived by his wife and three children.

Read more: http://www.odmp.org/officer/21563-sergeant-frank-edward-dolan#ixzz2KiZb6qk6

The City of Corpus Christi will auction 94 cars, trucks, and motorcycles at the Police Vehicle Impound Lot, located at 5485 Greenwood Drive, on Saturday, February 6, 2016. The auction will start at 10:00 am.

The general public is encouraged to register and view the vehicles for auction from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Friday, February 6, 2016. The general public can continue to view the vehicles from 8:00 am to 10:00 am on the day of the auction.

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

The Corpus Christi Police Department remembers Senior Officer Juan Rincon Prieto and his line of duty death on February 2, 1993. Officer Prieto was directing traffic at Up River Road and Suntide when he was struck and killed by a pickup truck. Officer Prieto had served in the Corpus Christi Police Department for 27 years and was survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

A park on Woodland Creek Drive in Corpus Christi near Callicoate Road is named Senior Officer Prieto Park in his memory.

Corpus Christi Police Officer Matthew Thebeau was killed in the line of duty January 20, 2008 at age 25. Officer Thebeau was killed in a vehicle crash on State Highway 286 near Baldwin Blvd while responding to an assault in progress call at 2:50 in the morning.

Officer Thebeau’s patrol car struck a concrete wall and straddled the barrier for approximately 50 yards until it impacted an I-beam supporting a highway sign. He was ejected from the patrol car and then struck by another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. He was transported to Spohn Memorial Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Officer Thebeau served with the Corpus Christi Police Department for two years and graduated from the 65^th Academy Session. A park was dedicated and named in memorial to Officer Matt Thebeau and is located at 3221 Richmond Street, Corpus Christi, Texas 78410 near Up River Road and McKenzie Road.

Transportation Network Companies (Lyft, Uber X, Sidecar, Wingz, Summon, Taxify and Haxi for example) are currently not permitted to operate in the City of Corpus Christi. Several companies were notified by to meet the cities requirements or face enforcement actions as noted below:

“Companies or individuals who operate vehicles-for-hire without proper license and permits are in violation of the Code and are subject to criminal prosecution and vehicle impoundment.”

In the event that you are currently driving for a Transportation Network Company in the City of Corpus Christi you are in violation of the following codes based on the definition of Taxicab and For Hire: 

Taxicab (defined): Every automobile or motor-propelled vehicle used for the transportation of passengers for hire over the public streets of the city and not over a defined or fixed route, irrespective of whether or not the operations extend beyond the city limits, at rates for distance traveled, for waiting time, for both or at rates per hour, per day, per week or per month under circumstances that such vehicle is routed under the direction of the passenger hiring same.

For Hire (defined): For money or other thing of value, gratuities, tips and free-will offerings, whether paid directly or indirectly, as compensation or consideration for services rendered.

Sec. 57-30. Certificate, license and permit required.

It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate or to cause to be driven or operated any taxicab upon or over any street or thoroughfare in the city unless the owner or operator thereof has first secured a certificate from the city to operate a taxicab and the required license and permit to operate such vehicle under this article has been issued.

Sec. 57-76. Prerequisites to issuance of license.

Upon obtaining a certificate to operate a taxicab service in the city as provided in this article, the holder shall make application to the taxicab inspector for a license to be issued for each vehicle to be operated as a taxicab. The application shall be accompanied by an inspection fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) per vehicle to be licensed. Prior to the issuance of a license for a taxicab, the taxicab inspector shall conduct an inspection of the vehicle to determine that it complies with the requirements of this article and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. In the event a vehicle fails to pass this inspection, the certificate holder shall have ten (10) business days to remedy any defects and submit the vehicle for reinspection without the necessity of payment of an additional inspection fee. After the ten (10) business day reinspection period has lapsed, an additional fifteen dollar ($15.00) inspection fee per vehicle to be licensed will be applied.

Sec. 57-96. Taxicab or vehicle for hire driver’s permit required; permit fee.

(a)

Every person desiring to drive a taxicab or vehicle for hire in the city shall apply for and obtain a taxicab or vehicle for hire driver’s permit from the taxicab inspector. It shall be unlawful for any person holding a certificate for the operation of a taxicab service in the city to permit any person to drive a taxicab or vehicle for hire unless such person shall have a driver’s permit in good standing duly issued by the taxicab inspector, with the exception of inspection purposes under section 57-75.

(b)

The fee for an original, renewal or transfer taxicab or vehicle for hire driver’s permit is a nonrefundable fifty dollars ($50.00) and shall be paid at the time the permit application is filed with the taxicab inspector. The fee for a replacement permit is twenty dollars ($20.00).

Violators will be subject to the issue of the citations listed above (each carrying a penalty of up to $500) and impoundment of their vehicle.