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Shoplifters “Game of Confusion” nets them $2,000 in goods www.privateofficer.com
Store surveillance video shows nine women, including one with a baby, crowding around a cashier at Famous Mart on North Tryon Street. While the clerk was distracted ringing up the stacks of clothing, some of the thieves pushed carts loaded with merchandise out the door.
As the flustered clerk kept folding items, the final thief simply walked away without paying.
Store owner Louis Sinkoe said he’s never seen anything like it.
“They had so much commotion going on, cell phones and talking and noise. You just lose track of your surroundings,” he said. “They just overwhelmed the cashier.”
It was the biggest rip-off in Famous Mart’s 50-year history.
Police admit it’s an unusually well-coordinated crime that other stores should be aware of.
“Usually suspects continue to do something until they get caught, so (we need) vigilance on the store owners’ and managers’ part and employees,” said Sgt. Ken Schul of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Police said they haven’t seen any similar crimes recently so they don’t know if the group is based in Charlotte or elsewhere.
The women drove off in a blue Chevrolet Impala and tan Ford LTD.
Anyone with information about the identities of the thieves is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
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Fomrer alderman sues Wal-Mart security for malicious prosecution www.privateofficer.com
One-time Berwyn alderman Michael Phelan filed a battery and malicious prosecution suit Monday against Wal-Mart and its security staff at the Forest Park store in connection with a year-old incident.
According to the suit, Phelan and a security guard had a disagreement. Police were called though details about what happened are not outlined in the suit. An official at the store signed a disorderly conduct complaint against Phelan with Forest Park police, according to the suit. The official told police he recognized Phelan as “somebody who had given patrons and employees a hard time in the past, being rude, and making racial remarks” and that police had been summoned to the store on other occasions, but Phelan had always left before police arrived. The disorderly conduct complaint was later dismissed, the suit states.
Phelan was leaving the store after shopping, and the security guard asked to see his receipt, according to Phelan’s attorney.
“He felt accosted by the security guard,” said Matt Karchmar, Phelan’s attorney.
Phelan then asked to see the manager, but security denied his request, according to Karchmar, and then the confrontation turned violent.
“The security guard threw him to the ground and then after that, police were called.”
At the time of the July 27, 2008, incident, Phelan was a Berwyn alderman, but the incident had caused “great embarrassment, humiliation and damage to his reputation,” the suit charges. The suit seeks at least $50,000 in damages.
Forest Park police and a WalMart spokesperson also could not be reached about the incident.
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Target security nabs “Peeping Tom” www.privateofficer.com
Police say Luis Mesqueda Hernandez was caught on security cameras by security personnel sneaking into the women’s bathroom at the store Sunday afternoon and using his cell phone to take photos of a woman.
The store’s security officers detained Hernandez until police arrived.
Hernandez was transported to the city jail and later released on bond.
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Security agent violently attacked by shoplifter www.privateofficer.com
Police report Friebe tried to steal a cell phone from the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 2825 N. Kansas Expressway on Sunday. Friebe allegedly pulled a knife and assaulted the store security officer.
The loss prevention agent continued to wrestle Freibe to the ground and was able to hold Friebe until police arrived. The security officer was treated for a fractured leg.
Friebe is being held without bond.
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Colorado teacher accused of getting student pregnant
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 34-year-old Anthony Ruiz, a former social studies teacher at Eagle Rock School.
Administrators at the school told the sheriff’s office a former student told them she had been sexually assaulted by Ruiz in May 2009.
Robert Burkhardt, head of Eagle Rock School, told 9NEWS the former student called a member of the staff on Wednesday, July 22 and told that member about the incident.
Burkhardt says the school immediately contacted Child Protective Services and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department.
The teen, who is currently with her family in California, told investigators the assault happened one time and she became pregnant.
Investigators say the alleged assault happened at Ruiz’s home, which is on the school campus.
No other assaults have been reported by this student or any other students at the school, but deputies are talking with other students to get more information.
Last Friday, investigators contacted Ruiz and arrested him on one count of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust.
“There is an ethical, moral as well as a legal issue as to a person in a position of trust, [such as] a teacher having sex with a student, regardless of their age, but particularly a juvenile student,” Larimer County Sheriff James Alderden said.
Burkhardt tells 9NEWS he put Ruiz on administrative leave Friday and fired him Saturday.
“This place operates in the world of trust,” Burkhardt said. “This trust was violated.”
Burkhardt says the 16-year-old was first enrolled at the school in January 2008. She left in early to mid July.
Ruiz posted a $5,000 bond at the Larimer County Detention Center on Monday night. The sheriff’s department says if Ruiz is convicted, he could get up to 12 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
He was hired by Eagle Rock School in July 2008. Investigators say Ruiz also taught in South Korea and Japan. They say his wife was out of town at the time of the alleged incident.
Eagle Rock School is a private, year-round alternative high school. Students from around the U.S., ages 15 through 19, are enrolled there.
Burkhardt released a full statement on Monday afternoon:
“The faculty and staff of Eagle Rock School are both shocked and saddened at reports of inappropriate and inexcusable conduct between a member of the faculty, and a student. Eagle Rock School is founded on trust, and this reported incident clearly violates that trust.
This is a matter of utmost seriousness. As soon as these allegations were reported, school officials contacted local law enforcement and social services. The school has been fully cooperating with these agencies to investigate this matter. School officials have also reached out to the former student, who is no longer on campus, and to her mother, to offer assistance.
In addition, parents and sponsors of students have been informed of these circumstances and assured that the safety of Eagle Rock students is our primary concern. Special counseling for all students, male and female, is underway.
Eagle Rock School maintains a strict Standard of Conduct for students, faculty and staff. In light of this matter, these Standards have again been communicated and reinforced to the entire Eagle Rock community. In addition, the school is conducting an immediate and intensive internal review of these policies to strengthen and enhance them.
The Instructional Specialist in question, Mr. Anthony Ruiz, was an employee of Eagle Rock School from July 7, 2008, until July 25, 2009, when he was immediately terminated for conduct in direct violation of the Standards of Conduct at Eagle Rock School.
Eagle Rock School, in Estes Park, Colorado, is a year-round private residential high school for students 15-19 who have not experienced success in traditional academic programs, who did not expect to graduate from high school, and who are committed to changing their lives for the better. The school, which has a capacity of 96 students, was established in 1993.
Out of respect for the privacy of our students, and due to the fact that this is an ongoing legal matter, Eagle Rock School will be unable to say anything further at this time.”
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Skinny -dipping gang almost drowns apartment guard www.privateofficer.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH CA July 29 2009 – Police are looking for a group of girls who pushed an apartment security guard into a pool, leading to his hospitalization, officials said today.Officers were dispatched to Huntington Villas Apartments in the 16700 block of Viewpoint Lane at 2:42 a.m. Sunday after receiving a call about a security guard who required medical attention, preliminary reports state.
The 21-year-old security guard claimed that he was pushed by females who were skinny dipping, said Huntington Beach police Sgt. Aaron Smith. No one was arrested or detained, Smith said. The suspects, who could be arrested on suspicion of assault, have not yet been identified, he said about the preliminary report.
Officers would not release the security guard’s name.
Brandon Quick, who helped pull the guard from the pool, identified him as Sam.
Quick, who lives in the apartment complex, said he was coming back from his aunt’s home about 2 a.m. when he saw a bunch of men in their 20s run away from the pool area.
“I asked them what they were doing and they said they were skinny-dipping and had gotten caught from the security guard and were running away from him,” Quick said.
As Quick got closer to the pool he heard chatter and saw Sam standing near three teenage girls who were putting on their clothes.
“As they were leaving, one tried to be funny and pushed him in and started laughing,” Quick said.
That’s when Sam’s hands began to flop up and down, he recalled.
“I can’t swim. Help me,” Quick said Sam yelled.
Quick said the girls didn’t help and instead ran away.
“Let’s go. Hurry,” Quick said he overheard at least one of the girls say.
At the same time, he took off his shoes, his cell phone and keys and jumped in to pull out Sam, as another resident helped.
Quick, who then called police, said Sam was still breathing when he pulled him out of the pool.
The apartment’s property manager said the security guard hadn’t suffered any injuries and was doing OK. Quick said another guard told him that Sam was still in the hospital as of Monday night and was recovering from head trauma and back pain.
“It’s messed up,” Quick said of the situation. “I mean, yeah it’s all fun and games until a security guard tells you to leave. You should just leave. They turned a practical joke to something serious…I mean they didn’t stop to help or anything.
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Man charged with whip cream intoxication www.privateofficer.com
The 33-year-old man was observed by a loss prevention officer picking up, opening and sniffing the seven-ounce cans of whip cream, according to the arrest report.
Each can contained nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, and when inhaled will “induce a condition of intoxication.”
The man was arrested for inhalation of harmful substance.
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85 Yr old veteran of 3 wars killed in home invasion www.privateofficer.com
U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) North E. Woodall was found bloodied and unconscious by a neighbor about 11:30 p.m. Monday, July 27, at 1028 Walton Ave. after an apparent home invasion, police said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The front door to the home was kicked in, and Woodall was found on the floor near the door, Lt. Brian Johns said.
He died from blunt-force trauma to the head, Montgomery County Coroner’s Office director Ken Betz said Tuesday.
Detective Sgt. Gary White said it’s unclear if Woodall was hit in the head by an intruder or fell during the struggle.
It is also unclear what, if anything, was taken from his home, but White said they are certain Woodall is a homicide victim.
Woodall served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam before retiring as an E-9 sergeant major, U.S. Army Special Forces , also known as a Green Beret.
The recipient of two Silver Stars , Woodall had just returned in late June from an Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C., where he and other veterans traveled in an RV to visit war memorials.
“He was a quiet guy and kind of kept to himself,” said John Fleeger, who drove the RV . “I remember he couldn’t find his suit when we got to the hotel and he really wanted to wear his suit to see the memorial.”
Woodall’s daughter-in-law said she took him food last week and he was in good spirits.
Police said Woodall’s home was burglarized once before in the last five years, but he was not hurt .
He is the city’s 26th homicide this year. Anyone with information about his death should call 333-COPS.
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