Alert security officer’s tip leads to capture of bank robbery suspects www.privateofficer.com

Alert security officer’s tip leads to capture of bank robbery suspects http://www.privateofficer.com

Green Bay Wi. April 22 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private officers

www.privateofficer.com
Authorities say that an alert motel security officer recognized two wanted men and tipped off police, leading to the arrests of two men for back-to-back bank robberies late last week.
Authorities say 20-year-old Jeremy Allan of Washington State is the one seen in surveillance pictures that was aired on local news broadcasts last Thursday slipping notes to tellers at U.S. Bank on the Lombardi Access Road in Ashwaubenon demanding money.
Investigators say the next day, Allan also robbed a North Shore Bank in a Piggly Wiggly supermarket on Swan Road in Ledgeview.
Authorities say in the Ledgeview robbery 26-year-old Leonid Burlaka drove the getaway car. Burlaka is a De Pere resident but police say he’s been staying with various friends.
The two were arrested early Sunday morning at a Motel 6 on Shawano Avenue in Green Bay thanks to a tip call.
“A security officer working in the Motel 6 had called area law enforcement officials, indicating that a recent resident at the Motel 6 resembles photos of the suspect that was shown in the recent bank robberies,” Chief Deputy John Gossage of the Brown County Sheriff’s Department said.
Police responded to the security officer’s tip and investigated the guests and say they recovered some of the stolen money. They did not find a weapon.
Burlaka was in Brown County court on Monday and has another court appearance scheduled on May 1st. Allan is set to appear in court Monday afternoon.
News of the arrests is a relief to area banks.
Lieutenant Jody Crocker of Ashwaubenon Public Safety said, “I did talk to U.S. Bank officials this morning and they’re very relieved this person is in custody. So, that took a great weight off of their minds.”
Security personnel play a part in the crime prevention as the eyes and ears reporting suspicous persons or situations to us and this time it was a good tip by an alert security officer a police official said.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

B.O.L.O.———-Maryland www.privateofficer.com

B.O.L.O.—–Maryland http://www.privateofficer.com

BOLO….Maryland April 22 2008
QUEENSTOWN, Md. – Police are looking for two suspects that used counterfeit bills at the Queenstown Outlet Mall in Queenstown.
The Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Department says on April 8, deputies were sent to the outlet mall for several suspected counterfeit bills reported being passed at the outlet by two people.
Police describe the suspects as a dark-skinned male, short dark hair, medium build, early to mid-thirties wearing baggy jeans and a grey or blue shirt; and a white female, mid to late thirties, sandy brown shoulder lentgh hair wearing a white sweater and jeans.
According to investigators, each store reported that the suspects would make a small purchase and pay with a $50 bill.
Police say further inspection showed that all bills taken had been bleached, removing all markings except the $5 watermark and reprinted with the likeness of a $50 bill.
All bills have been seized and police are working with other area agencies and the Secret Service in this case.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

MySpace pictures leads to man’s arrest www.privateofficer.com

Novato Ca. April 22 2008
By: Bryan Hill

Security News Magazine

http://www.privateofficer.com

A man’s girlfriend reporting to police that she had been her boyfrind kissing a young female and posting pictures of her on his MySpace page has led to his arrest officers say.
The 19-year-old Novato man was arraigned Wednesday on charges of molesting the 13-year-old girl during a sexual relationship of more than three months, authorities said.
Curtis Lawrence Anderson was identified as a suspect after police say that they received a tip from one of his ex-girlfriends, who recently saw a photograph of the girl kissing Anderson on MySpace.com, a social networking site, police said.
As police were preparing to find Anderson for an interview on Tuesday, they learned from other officers that he had been detained on suspicion of shoplifting at the Target store in Novato, said Novato police Sgt. Keith Heiden.
Anderson was brought into the police station and questioned in both the shoplifting and the sex cases.
Police say that after their investigation and the interview with Anderson, he was arrested.
He was then booked into the county jail with bail set at $150,000.
Anderson was charged Wednesday with lewd acts on a child under 14 years old, oral copulation of a person under 18, sodomy of a person under 18 and unlawful sexual intercourse, according to a complaint by Deputy District Attorney Linda Witong.
Authorities said the sexual relationship with the girl, a Novato resident, started around the beginning of the year.
Anderson was charged separately with commercial burglary and receiving stolen property in connection with the Target incident, Witong said. The stolen property included Sony Walkmans, a CD case and CDs.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Union negotiates raises for security officers www.privateofficer.com

Union negotiates raises for security officers http://www.privateofficer.com

Washington DC April 22 2008

By:Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

www.privateofficer.com

Some people working in the capitol city has received well deserve and long awaited raises thanks to a negotiation between a union and their employer.
Security officers who patrol the George Washinton owned buildings are now earning several dollars more per hour after four security guard contractors and a union negotiated a pay increase this month.
Representatives of the local Service Employees International Union announced last week they signed four-year contracts with D.C. security officer’s contractors Securitas, Admiral Security, AlliedBarton and Guardsmark. The contract offers security personnel a minimum pay of $12.40 per hour – a 50 cent per-hour raise – whichever is greater. Fulltime workers will also receive health insurance.
“Until you actually see it, you don’t think it’s real,” said SEIU organizer Bernard Hackett, referring to the wage increase. For many of the security guards, this is their first raise in several years, he said.
Securitas security officer’s patrol the Shops at 2000 Penn and offices located at 2100 Penn, both GW-owned buildings. The company has 100,000 employees and 350 office locations throughout the U.S.
Before the contract took effect this month, Securitas paid guards a starting wage of $8.75 per hour. Many guards said they considered this wage too low to cover the cost of living in the District.
The contract is not just about the money, but it “brings a certain degree of professionalism” to the job, Hackett said. “Now I feel proud of the work I do and the compensation I receive for it.”
Two security officers patrolling 2000 Penn Friday said they were suspicious that their paychecks would be any different when they heard their $9 an hour wages were increasing to $12.40 an hour.
“Let’s wait and see,” said a male guard, who did not give his name for fear of retribution from his company. He said he does not expect his life to change much with the raise, calling it “pocket money.”
“It’s not going to do much,” said a full-time female guard who also wished to remain anonymous. “Not much is going to change.”
Bargaining for higher wages began last August. SEIU organized groups of security officers to approach members of D.C.’s city council and ask for their support. Union organizers also surveyed security guards asking them to rank the importance of demands like pay and health insurance.
This year, GW students in the Progressive Student Union heard about the low wages and they sent letters to University President Steven Knapp and Executive Vice President and Treasurer Lou Katz urging them to put pressure on Securitas to raise wages for their security personnel. Katz wrote back explaining GW “does not interfere with wage determinations made by independent companies and their workers.”
Senior Matthew Brokman, president of the Progressive Student Union, said administrators showed a lack of caring toward people who are not part of the academic community.
“We are disappointed the University did not take more aggressive action themselves,” he said.
Freshman Steven Muse, a member of the PSU, said he would like to think his organization contributed to the union’s success. He called the wage increase “badly needed” and said he knew a security guard who was homeless three times while he was working for Securitas.
“When we heard that these security officers were not making enough money to live on when we go to the most expensive school in the country … we felt it was our duty to work on this,” he said. Organizers agree the pay raise will result in an improvement in the quality of life for many of the guards.
Though it may sound like a victory one security officer said, it’s really not. We’re thankful for the raise but it’s still not enough. Just look at the rising price of gas and food and the price of renting an apartment in the DC metro and it doesn’t take a math major to figure out that things don’t add up. We’re protecting millions, maybe billions in assets and human life and yet we’re the lowest paid employee that the University has. Don’t figure he said as he walked away on his way home from working sixteen hours.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Former Blockbuster employee nabbed for thefts www.privateofficer.com

former blockbuster employee nabbed for thefts http://www.privateofficer.com

BOGALUSA LA. April 22 2008

Kyle T. Greene

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

www.privateofficer.com - City police detectives arrested a man last week for stealing more than 80 movies from a Bogalusa video rental store.
Eighty-four stolen DVDs were found in the bedroom of Terry Airhart Jr. last week, said Bogalusa Police Department Detective David Miller, who investigated the case.

Airhart, 31, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with theft over $500.

Airhart was a former employee of Blockbuster, and knew a way to remove the DVDs from their cases without setting off any kind of alarm, Miller said. Airhart also knew where to stand in the store to avoid the security cameras, he said.Police seized a total of 212 DVD movies Airhart’s home on Lona Rester Place in south Bogalusa.
Eighty-four of the movies were identified as belonging to Blockbuster, and it’s unclear if the other movies were also stolen.

The remaining DVDs are being retained as evidence by Bogalusa Police Department, pending proof of ownership, Miller said.The 84 movies from Blockbuster have been returned to the store.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter accidentally shot during arrest www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter accidentally shot during arrest http://www.privateofficer.com

Orlando Fla. April 22 2008

By: Bryan Hill

Security News Magazine

www.privateofficer.com

Police responding to a theft a local store found that the shoplifters had left prior to their arrival but that someone had followed them.
The two suspects were seen taking six pairs of Nikes from a Colonial Drive shoe store Sunday afternoon and they fled in a vehicle but were arrested shortly thereafter, thanks to a cell-phone call from a citizen who followed them in her car.

Police say that the officers were able to locate and stop the two shoplifters but during the subsequent arrest, in which the suspects were ordered to the ground at gunpoint, a sheriff deputy’s shotgun accidentally discharged, and one of the suspects was slightly wounded from a pellet or pellets hitting him in the cheek, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office report.

The manager of the Shoe Carnival Store at 7649 W. Colonial Drive would not comment on the incident, other than to say it had been a citizen, rather than a store employee, who followed the suspects and called in the report.

The injured suspect was taken to the Health Central hospital in Ocoee where he was treated for his injury.
Police have charged both with theft but did not release their names.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Gas prices leads to violent thefts www.privateofficer.com

Increasing gas prices leads to violent thefts http://www.privateofficer.com

Charlotte N.C. April 22 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

www.privateofficer.com

Have you looked at the price of gas in your neck of the woods today? In the past seven days gas in many parts of the country has risen by more than fourty cents and it’s still going up with no end in sight.
As with other hugh jumps in gas prices that has come our way over the past ten years, so comes the rise in thefts.

Although many gas stations have pay at the pump or pay the cashier policies in place to cut down on drive-offs, there are ways around that and some stations simply trust their customers as in days gone by and allows them to pump at will first and pay when done.
Gas station owners say that this time because gas prices are nearing the four dollar mark, drive-offs not only are increasing but they are being violent.
Just before the Christmas holiday in a small town in South Carolina just across the line from Charlotte, a man who had pumped about thirty dollars in gas was trying to leave without paying. The cashier, fearing that her boss would get mad at her and make her pay for the gas or be fired stood in front of the car to prevent him from leaving. He gunned the engine, knocked the woman over the hood of the vehicle and she was hospitalized in a coma for nearly two months.
Another incident happened in Georgia with a different driver, this time the driver stabbed the clerk as he fled with his stolen gas.
A man in Birmingham Alabama and South Texas were arrested after they rigged up storage tanks in a trailer and siphoned gas out of the gas station’s fuel tanks.
Police say that a woman in North Carolina told the clerk that she wanted a fill up and gave the clerk a credit card to hold while she filled her SUV tank with almost seventy dollars of gas. The clerk soon realized that the credit card was stolen and as she made her way outside, the SUV driver hopped into the drivers side and sped off knocking the clerk against a gas pump and striking another vehicle as she fled the area.
What would have been simple theft charges are now quickly escalating into robberies a state trooper said. I wonder if they even care he said. It’s almost like a drug. They’ve got to have it and don’t have the money to pay for it and they’ve set out to get it any way that they can.

I can also see it getting worse, George McFadden, an owner of two gas stations in Alabama said as he rang up a cusatomer’s purchase. When gas gets to five dollars a gallon, what will they do for it then, shoot us he asked?
The AAA office stated this week that gas prices will continue to climb at least through the summer and then level off by early fall. They advise consumers to use your vehicle’s cruise control as much as possible as it allows the car to take fuel evenly and to stop and go less and to avoid fast starts, sudden jerks and keep a steady pedal on the highway.
In the meantime, security and law enforcement experts say that store owners must protect their precious commodity in these times and should keep all gas pumps on a controlled access system allowing purchases by approved credit or debit card or good old green cash.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Identity theft ring busted www.privateofficer.com

Identity theft ring cracked http://www.privateofficer.com

Fresno Ca. April 22 2008

The alleged ringleader of a large-scale identity theft operation is behind bars, to be charged with more than 150 felony counts.
Fresno police say Aida Hernandez has been stealing bank account numbers, making fake checks and using them at stores all across the Valley.
Just in the past six months, police say Hernandez used 850 counterfeit checks and tapped into 319 Credit Union accounts.
Detectives say more than 1,000 people have been victimized by Hernandez and at least three accomplices were involved; Erika Castillo, Christopher Michael Brown, and Johnny Morales.
Hernandez was arrested on March 29th at Gottschalk’s at The Fashion Fair Mall.
She is facing 151 felony counts, including 206 counts of fraud, 18 counts of burglary and 16 counts of identity theft.
Castillo has been arrested but police are still looking for Brown and Morales.
“We believe that the potential loss by these four suspects will exceed a half million dollars,” said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.
The six-month investigation revealed that the suspects used a variety of methods to steal identities and bank account information.
“Sometimes it was residential burglaries or a stolen vehicle. We do believe some of the items were taken from the garbage or mailbox,” said Fresno Police Financial Crimes Detective, Heather Ground.
The fake checks were used at large store chains, such as Kohls, Mervyns, JC Penny, Home Depot, Target, Save-Mart, Walgreens, and a host of other merchants.
“When she was arrested, she had 88 blank counterfeit checks and four fake ID cards with her photo on them,” said Chief Dyer.
Financial crime detectives encourage stores and identity theft victims to report cases to police.
Police also say, a shredder is your best protection to avoid becoming a victim.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Mall officers nab teens with drugs www.privateofficer.com

Mall officers nab teens with drugs http://www.privateofficer.com

Sheboygan WI. April 22 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private officers

www.privateofficer.com

Security officers keen observations led to the arrest of a Manitowoc teen in Sheboygan and landed him in the County jail this morning after police say one of the teen’s provided a Xanax pill to a friend who then snorted it before drawing the attention of Memorial Mall security.

The 17-year-old Manitowoc boy was arrested about 5:30 p.m. after his friend — a 16-year-old Sheboygan boy — acted “very impaired” and was detained by mall security officers, Lt. Scott Mittelstadt of the Sheboygan Police Department said in a press release.
Mall officers took the two teens into custody and held the 16-year-old until police arrived. The 16 year old then told police the 17-year-old had given him a pill.

Police searched the 17-year-old and found five Xanax pills and a marijuana pipe.
The teen is expected to be charged with delivery of a narcotic and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Under Wisconsin law, offenders 17 and older are charged as adults by default.

The 16-year-old was released to his parents and is not expected to be charged.

Xanax is typically prescribed to treat anxiety disorders.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifters slash security agent www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifters slash security agent with boxcutter http://www.privateofficer.com

Providence R. I. April 22 2008
By:Rick McCann
Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers
www.privateofficer.com

Providence police are looking for four suspects in a stabbing at the Providence Place Mall.
Authorities say that they responded to a security officer down call at the mall and found that a security officer had been stabbed muliple times.
Police say that Spencer Jones was slashed by a shoplifter wanted for theft from the J.C. Penney store.
Police said the security officer tried to stop the alleged shoplifters when one suspect . came up behind Jones, and slashed him in the neck with a box cutter. Jones was treated at Rhode Island hospital for the injury.
Police say the four suspects ran from the store. Right now, police are looking for four white men, said to be in their 20′s.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com

Officer arrested for racially motivated incident www.privateofficer.com

Officer arrested for racially motivated incident http://www.privateofficer.com

ELYRIA TOWNSHIP Oh April 22 2008– A Wakeman police officer faces charges of aggravated menacing, assault and criminal damage to a vehicle after a racially-motivated attack Friday morning at St. Vincent de Paul Elementary school.
William C. Hodge, 35, of Sheffield Township, attacked Byron Hendon in the school parking lot as Hendon and Dawn Hodge were dropping off their children and others whom Dawn Hodge babysits, according to a sheriff’s report. Dawn Hodge, 32, of Lorain, who is William Hodge’s soon-to-be ex-wife, is Hendon’s roommate, the report said.

Hendon, 26, of Lorain, was sitting in the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Astrovan as Dawn Hodge and a child got out of the van, according to the report. William Hodge approached the van and threw his Wakeman police badge and department identification at Dawn Hodge, saying, ”I’m already going to jail, so you should take these,” the report said.
William Hodge then pointed at Hendon and said ”You’re dead, n—-r,” according to the report. Hodge jumped into the passenger side of the van, grabbed Hendon’s shirt and tried to punch him, the report said.
Hendon said he and Dawn Hodge got William Hodge out of the van, the report said. Dawn Hodge threw Hodge’s badge and identification back at him and yelled at him to leave, but William Hodge tried to get back in the van through the driver’s door window, which was halfway down.Hendon said he sped off with Hodge hanging out the window and kicking at the door, continuing to yell ”you’re dead, n—-r,” the report said.
Hodge eventually let go and fell to the ground. Hendon said he jumped out of the van and ran away on foot, because he believed Hodge had a gun, the report said.Hodge continued to yell racial insults as Hendon ran, the report said. Hodge was later arrested at Oakwood Plaza in Lorain by Lorain County Sheriff’s deputies after fleeing the scene of the attack.
Hodge was taken to the Lorain County jail and released after posting a $2,250 bond, a Lorain County Sheriff’s records officer said. While being booked at the jail, Hodge said he ”is losing it and needs help,” the report said. Hodge was taken to EMH Regional Medical Center Friday for mental evaluation, the records officer said. Dawn Hodge said her husband has requested she take his service weapon and shoot him in the head on several occasions, the report said.
Both Dawn Hodge and Hendon said they were concerned William Hodge could hurt them or their children, according to the report.William Hodge has a court date today at 8:30 a.m. in Lorain Municipal Court, the report said.

Email us/adminassist@privateofficer.com

Join us/myspace.com/privateofficernews

Be part of our social community! http://www.privateofficer.com