Bravo District, Criminal Investigations Division

Man Stole Several Laptop Computers From Wal-Mart In Flour Bluff

     

Occurred Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 6:00am, 1250 Flour Bluff Dr. Theft 1204170162

Corpus Christi Police Property Crimes Investigators would like help from the public to gather additional information to identify a man who stole several laptops from the Wal-Mart in Flour Bluff.

Store employees told police that a man forced open a cabinet and removed several laptop computers, then left the store without paying for the computers. Store employees provided police with surveillance camera images of the suspect that took the computers. The man is described as a Hispanic male that wore a red shirt, red pants, and black shoes and is between 20 and 30 years of age. Store Employees believe the man left in a gray 4 door sedan.

Anyone interested to research reported crime in Corpus Christi is encouraged to search Crimereports.com. Anyone with additional information to identify the man that stole the laptop computers from Wal-Mart should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or log on to www.888TIPS.com. The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Charlie District

Father Arrested When He Rams His Suburban Into Ex-Girlfriend’s Car with Her Two Children Inside

Occurred on 4/25/12, 6:04 pm  Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Vehicle   2100 Horne Road   1204250087

Officers contacted a 24-year-old female who reported her ex-boyfriend rammed his Suburban into her Plymouth Neon as they traveled east on Horne Road.  As the victim pulled up next to her ex’s vehicle he sideswiped her car, causing a dent on the passenger door.

The victim told Officers she had her two-year-old and three-month-old in the vehicle.  Both her children were in their child safety seats and not injured.  When the victim stopped to call police, the suspect fled home and also called for police assistance.

After further investigation, the victim’s 24-ex-boyfriend was arrested and taken Spohn Shoreline to be medically cleared.  He was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Due to the domestic relationship between the individuals no additional information will be released.

Community Outreach, Narcotics/Vice Division

Turn in your Prescription Drugs, No Questions Asked

Drug Enforcement Administration and the Corpus Christi Police Department
Conduct Third Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

“Living Drug Free Starts at Home”

On April 28th,  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  local law enforcement agencies  and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your medications for disposal to one of the designated sites in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Aransas Pass, Portland, Cuero and Sinton.  The service is free and anonymous. 

Last October, Americans turned in 377,080 pounds—188.5 tons—of prescription drugs at over 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. (The Gulf Coast area collected almost 1000 pounds.) In its three previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in almost a million pounds—nearly 500 tons—of pills. 

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Four days after the first event, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them.  The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long-term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances.  DEA is drafting regulations to implement the Act, a process that can take as long as 24 months.  Until new regulations are in place, local law enforcement agencies and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.

Coastal Bend Collection Sites are listed below:     

  • KIII TV~5002 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~3500 Leopard, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~3033 S. Port Avenue, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~5313 Saratoga Boulevard, Corpus Christi
  • HEB(Flour Bluff)~1145 Waldron Road, Corpus Christi
  • HEB(Annaville)~11100 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~1600 Wildcat Boulevard, Portland
  • HEB~409 E. Kleberg, Kingsville
  • HEB(Aransas Pass)~101 E. Goodnight Avenue, Aransas Pass
  • HEB(Sinton)~106 S. San Patricio, Sinton
  • Cuero City Hall~201 E. Main Street, Cuero
Community Outreach, Delta District

If you received a text stating “CREDIT UNION…YOUR CARD IS NOW DEACTIVATED – PLEASE CALL 361-xxx-xxxx” Don’t Stop Reading

Information Provided by Corpus Christi Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit

Over the last few days, customers have made their banks aware of a scam that is hitting the Coastal Bend area.

The customers are receiving a text on their phone that typically reads “CREDIT UNION…YOUR CARD IS NOW DEACTIVATED – PLEASE CALL 361-xxx-xxxx” Customers are then asked to put in their account number.

This is a scam and an attempt to obtain your account number along with your PIN. DO NOT respond to any messages that are similar to this.

If you receive a message like this, contact your bank/credit union in person or by a verified phone number and advise them. If you have responded to the text advise your bank immediately.

Community Outreach, Criminal Investigations Division

Copper Theft Crime Of The Week

  Burglary of a Habitation

Crime of the Week # 17-2012

Air Dates: April 25- May 2, 2012

1204200025 and 1204230046

I am Senior Officer Kirk Stowers with your Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week.

This week we are at the 13,900 block of Whitecap at a house under construction. The owner told police that an unknown person broke the rear door to the house to gain entry. Once inside, the person stole the Air Conditioner coil made of copper tube. The estimated cost for this AC coil is $2,500.

This house was targeted by criminals days earlier when the exterior Air Conditioner unit valued at $3,500 was stolen.

Copper thefts have increased nationwide in recent years which results in increased costs for consumers.

If you know who is responsible for these thefts call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS, or log on at 888tips.com. We want your information, not your name. The information you provide could earn you $1000 in cash.

Community Outreach

April 25th Is Denim Day

Please join us on April 25th by wearing jeans to work in order to bring awareness to Sexual Assault. It’s time to talk about it!

Connect. Respect. Prevent Sexual Violence.

RAPE is a crime: talking about it isn’t

We celebrate Denim Day in honor of a woman who was forcibly raped by her driving instructor. The woman pressed charges, but the case was dismissed because the chief judge decided that, “…because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she has to help him remove them and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape, but consensual sex.”

Show your support for survivors on Denim Day

Delta District

Parents with Children in Pot Smelling Car, Father Arrested

Occurred on 4/24/12, 8:15 pm   Possession of a Controlled Substance   Morgan & Port        1204240144

Justin Michael Valdez (12/04/90) was arrested after Officers pulled him over for a traffic violation.  While Valdez was looking for insurance and registration, the smell of Marijuana wafted to where Officers were standing.

Officers asked the 20-year-old female passenger to step out of car along with her two and five-year old boys. 

The smell of Marijuana was tracked to a couple of bags containing 3.5 ounces of Marijuana and a 2.13 grams of Cocaine.  Valdez was booked at the City Detention Center and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, along with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia when a digital scale was also found.

The vehicle was released to the girlfriend and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services was notified.

Charlie District

Masked Gunman Holds Up Local Chicken Restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Occurred on 4/24/12, 10:25 pm  Aggravated Robbery   5401 Kostoryz     12042400156

Officers contacted Pete’s Chicken N More’s manager who reported she along with another male employee were closing for the night when a masked male advanced toward her holding a handgun.

The male grabbed her and at gunpoint ordered her to open the safe or he would shoot her.  The employee struggled with the masked gunman and the male employee came to her aid.  The robber hit the employee with the handgun leaving him incapacitated to the point he was  unable to help the manager.

The suspect forces the manager to open the safe.  He then takes the money inside a bank bag and leaves the store.  He was last seen running thru the alleyway toward a green-colored Sports Utility Vehicle.

The male employee fearing for safety runs across the street to a nearby business to call for help.  He was taken to Spohn Memorial by CCFD Emergency Personnel for a laceration to his face.

The suspect is described as Black male, 25 to 40 years of age, 6’3” to 6’5” feet tall and weighing 220 to 250 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a ski mask and blue shirt. 

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 at 361-886-2841.

Adam District, Traffic Safety Division

Names Released of Two Arrested in Monday Night Pursuit, Two Still Hospitalized

Occurred on 4/23/12, 11:30 pm,  Wanted Subjects, Evading Arrest, Major Accident   13100 Leopard Street 1204240003/C1203108

Police have released the names of two individuals who were involved in Monday night’s pursuit which ended in a collision after the female driver lost control of the tan Ford Taurus she was driving.  Officers had originally pulled the vehicle over for a traffic infraction. 

The female driver originally pulled over for the Officer, but drove off during the traffic stop.  At this time, the accident and pursuit investigation continues, but the motive for the driver fleeing is unknown.

Passengers Candace Carreares (12/16/89) and Gene Arthur Hinojosa (05/18/82) were released from the hospital and have been booked at the City Detention Center.  Carreares and Hinojosa who both misidentified themselves to the Officer during the traffic stop were charged with Failure to Identify as a Fugitive from Justice and Evading Arrest.  

Carreares was additionally charged with an outstanding Nueces County warrant for Hindering Apprehension, No Bond, while Hinojosa was also charged with an outstanding Austin Parole Violation for Possession of Cocaine, No Bond.

The female driver and a male passenger remain hospitalized at Spohn Memorial.

Any updates regarding this incident will be released by the Corpus Christi Police Department Public Information Office at www.ccpdblotter.com.

Charlie District

Male Jailed After Collision with Fence and Parked Vehicle

 

Occurred on 4/23/12, 10:34 pm  Reckless Driving/Driving While Intoxicated   802 Barry   1204230178

 
Callers reported a drunk driver had struck a vehicle along with the metal fence at Woodbury Place Apartments.  Officers arrived to find the driver Emede Andres Garza (07/02/85) still in his green Dodge truck attempting to dislodge his truck from the fence.  The truck’s rear tires were spinning and smoking as Garza tried to free his truck.

Garza who appeared highly intoxicated was not administered Standard Field Sobriety Tests for his safety.  He was taken to Spohn Shoreline for medical clearance and a blood draw.

Garza was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Reckless Damage or Destruction.  Victims estimate damages to both the parked Chevrolet truck and the fence at $4,000.

Corpus Christi Police Daily Blotter