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Sioux Falls teacher arrested for rape www.privateofficer.com
According to police a two-week investigation shows Nicholas Jastorff had sexual contact with one of his students.
It all started in mid November when a middle school student told a school resource officer that a teacher made comments about hurting himself. That led to an investigation into the relationship between the student and the teacher. Police say they found explicit text messages exchanged between two students Jastorff.
Officers arrested Jastorff and charged him with 6 counts of rape, one count of sexual contact with a child under 16, and 2 counts of solicitation of a minor.
Jastorff, who lives in Harrisburg, is currently being held on a million dollars bond.
Source:KDLT
Hotel security, employee help nab auto burglars www.privateofficer.com
UPPER WEST SIDE NY Dec 3 2010 — Quick work by a pair of eagle-eyed hotel employees helped police nab two suspected burglars who broke into at least two cars on the Upper West Side before dawn on Thursday.
A security guard and desk agent at the Days Inn hotel on West 94th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue spotted a suspicious-looking man and woman on the hotel’s video surveillance system about 5 a.m.
After watching the man smash the window of a Saab station wagon parked outside the hotel and grab valuables from inside, the hotel staffers alerted police and followed the burglars for several blocks until officers arrived and arrested them, according to Days Inn security guard David Torres, who is also a freelance photographer.
The NYPD confirmed that they arrested Luis Santos, 30, and Maria Oquendo, 34, in connection with the break-ins.
Santos, who lives a few blocks away from the crime scene, was charged with auto stripping, possession of burglar’s tools, petit larceny, and criminal mischief, police said.
Oquendo, who lives two blocks away, was charged with auto stripping, criminal mischief, grand larceny, possession of stolen property and possession of a crack pipe. She was carrying a credit card and a checkbook that had someone else’s name on it when she was arrested, but it was unclear whether it was stolen from the cars, police said.
In the surveillance footage shown to DNAinfo, a man believed to be Santos is seen sitting on the hood of a Saab station wagon parked outside the hotel. He bounces up and down, presumably to test the alarm system, while his partner, believed to be Oquendo, glances up and down the sidewalk.
A few seconds later, the man walks to the driver’s side window, takes a step back, and throws something at the car’s driver’s side window. He is seen on camera reaching into the car and grabbing something. Then he and his partner walk away as the Saab’s headlights flash.
That’s when Torres and desk agent Leo Lopez sprang into action. While Lopez called 911, Torres walked outside and trailed the suspected burglars to West 90th Street and Columbus Avenue, where police arrived. Torres identified Santos and Oquendo as the same people he’d seen break into the car outside the Days Inn, he said.
Three other cars on the same block were broken into early Thursday morning, Torres said. It’s not known whether the same burglars were responsible for those break-ins too, police said.
Saab owner Richard Gold said his XM radio receiver was snatched, his driver’s side window was destroyed and his car’s windshield was cracked.
“I’m happy that no one was hurt,” Gold said. “I’m mostly just inconvenienced. It’s just time and money. And I feel sad that people have to resort to breaking into cars.”
Carl Tanner, whose Toyota was also parked on West 94th Street, said thieves smashed his passenger side window and took his child’s DVD player and a radar detector.
On Nov. 25, video cameras at the hotel caught another car break-in on tape, but in that case the thief got away, hotel staffers said.
Days Inn general manager Willie Singh said such burglaries are rare.
He said Torres and Lopez went beyond the line of duty.
“They’re here to protect the hotel, but if they can do something to protect the community, that’s great,” Singh said.
Source:www.dnainfo.com
Charlotte man kills girlfriend, carjacks couple at shopping mall www.privateofficer.com
Charlotte NC Dec 3 2010 A man who shot his 28-year-old girlfriend late Wednesday in west Charlotte was apprehended after police say he was involved in a carjacking at Northlake Mall.
Police responded to Summerour Place, near Tuckaseegee Road, at 10:24 p.m. Wednesday after a neighbor reported an assault, police said.
Police found Pamela Garmon with a gunshot wound and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Less than 20 minutes later and 12 miles away at Northlake Mall, police received a report of a carjacking by a man possibly armed with a rifle. He fit the description of Garmon’s boyfriend, Jamarr Tremayne Springs, 28, police said.
Police said Springs forced a driver out of a car at the mall and made the vehicle’s passenger ride with him. The car traveled to Sam Furr and Old Statesville roads in Huntersville, where Springs stopped the car. He fled on foot, police said, and the passenger was released unharmed.
Police said officers from various departments set up a perimeter and apprehended Springs without incident.
Garmon’s mother, Cynthia Garmon, said her daughter worked for Carolina Coffee Company and planned to move to California next year to help open a new store.
She said her daughter had known Springs for about two years and that she suspects Springs might have thought that her daughter planned to break up with him.
Her mother said she was still in shock Thursday afternoon.
“I don’t think anybody would ever see stuff like this coming,” she said.
Garmon’s death is the eighth domestic violence-related death in 2010 in Mecklenburg County and the state’s 63rd this year.
Mecklenburg County leads the state in domestic violence-related homicides, according to the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Springs was previously convicted of simple assault in 2004 and assault on a female in 2006. He received probation in both cases. He’s also been convicted of carrying a concealed gun and driving while under the influence.
Springs now faces charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and two counts each of attempted armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.
Pamela Garmon’s mother described her as an outgoing young woman who had just learned to ride a motorcycle.
“She was full of life,” she said. “She wanted to live.”
Domestic violence awareness advocates will host a march at 12:15 p.m. Dec. 9 at Trade and Tryon streets. Participants plan to march down Trade Street and place a ribbon dedicated to Pamela Garmon on the city’s Christmas tree.
Source:www.charlotteobserver.com
Man charged with defrauding Verizon out of $115,000 www.privateofficer.com
SUMMERVILLE, SC Dec 3 2010 – Police arrested a Georgia man accused of conning Verizon Wireless stores out of $115,500 over a three-year period.
John E. Blanton, 32, of Atlanta, Ga., was arrested and charged with forgery Wednesday after police say he used a fake name to register for two phones and phone lines at a Summerville Verizon store.
Security personnel at Verizon’s corporate offices notified the Summerville store and told them Blanton had done the same thing in North Charleston the same day. In all, he managed to defraud the wireless company of $115,517 in three years.
According to the police report, the company had issued an e-mail alert concerning Blanton.
Blanton was captured by police Wednesday evening when they say he tried the same ruse at a Charleston Verizon store. During a search, they found one of the phones from the Summerville store, the report stated.
Summerville police took him to the Berkeley County Detention Center to await a bond hearing.
Source:WCSC
TX security guard injured during robbery www.privateofficer.com
San Antonio TX Dec 3 2010 A security guard at an apartment complex on the northwest side was injured while trying to stop a robbery early Thursday morning.
A modern-day Bonnie and Clyde took off from the scene after making a big robbery and running down the security worker as he tried to stop the crooks.
Police were called to the 4300 block of Spectrum One — at the Broadstone-Colonnade Apartments.
Two robbers broke into a garage unit loading up their SUV with torches, vacuum pumps and other items.
Police say during the robbery, the female crook tried to distract the guard so her accomplice could escape.
As the worker tried to stop the crooks from leaving the complex, theives smashed into the worker’s golf cart.
Moments later, the worker cut through the complex to head them off at the gate and was run down.
The guard was treated at the scene.
One robber got away with a truckload of stolen loot.
Police caught up with the female crook — and made a drug arrest in the process. They say they found methamphetamine in her purse.
Police are looking for a white male in his 50s last seen driving around in a dark-colored Toyota SUV that may have damage to the driver’s-side mirror.
Police believe the thieves’ need for their next drug fix was motivation for
this crime.
Source:KENS.com
Crowd watches as security officer shot while making arrest www.privateofficer.com
HOUSTON TX Dec 3 2010 – Deputies are investigating after An off-duty officer who tried to make an arrest at a northwest Harris County apartment complex was shot in the back of the leg with a crowd of people nearby.
The officer was working a second job Tuesday night as a security guard, along with another officer, at the Carriage Place Apartments in the intersection of Wells Fargo Drive and Overland Trail. Residents at the Carriage Place Apartments say the management hired the officers a few weeks earlier because of ongoing crime in the complex.
As the officers tried to arrest a male on marijuana charges before 8 p.m. Wednesday, a large crowd formed. During the arrest, deputies say someone shot at one of the officers and wounded the back of his leg near his knee.
The officer was taken to a hospital in stable condition and was later released.
Both officers told investigators they did not see who fired the gunshot and have no description of the shooter.
Deputies set up a perimeter around the complex to find the shooting suspect but were not able to find the shooter.
Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston by phone at 713-222-8477 (TIPS).
Florida Dillards employee charged with grand theft www.privateofficer.com
NAPLES Fla Dec 3 2010 Police arrested a Dillard’s employee who was allegedly creating fraudulent gift cards for himself and using them at other Southwest Florida stores.
Jason King, 31, of Marino Circle, is charged with grand theft and fraud.
Investigators say King would take a previous customer’s receipt from his register at the store he worked at in Naples and perform a return transaction on the items.
He’d then put the money on a gift card, according to police, and frequently use them at the Bonita Springs store.
Company auditors told police that from October 31st to November 27th, King returned $4,951.85 worth of merchandise and put that money on gift cards.
They say that was the highest amount of returns during that time period for the entire Dillard’s chain. The next closest employee had $715.50 of returns to gift cards during that time period.
Dillard’s auditors say all but four of the items returned by Kind during that time period had the item numbers keyed in by hand – meaning the tag with the bar code wasn’t present when he did the return.
Detectives say King also purchased items online with the gift cards and had the items, totaling $2,038.11, sent to his girlfriend, Melissa Garcia.
On Sunday, November 28th, police say King tried to make a purchase with a gift card at the Coastland Center Mall Dillard’s, where he worked, while on duty.
He had to get a manager, because police say he was trying to use his employee discount in conjunction with the gift card.
The manager reportedly told King he couldn’t use both the gift card and his employee discount at the same time, and asked King where he’d gotten the gift card.
King allegedly replied that it was a gift.
After the transaction was voided and King left, the manager checked out King’s claims with the corporate office.
Police say he learned the gift was issued by King from his register at the store, using his employee password. Investigators say it came from another fraudulent return.
By now Dillard’s corporate security was watching King. They told police a $94.76 return from King’s register on Tuesday was flagged and they took a look at the security video.
Corporate security told police King was the only one at his register while that return was completed.
Police arrested him at the store, and allegedly found three fraudulent gift cards in his wallet totaling $299.11.
Officers say he also had two receipts in his pockets for his online purchases.
Detectives say they interviewed King and he claimed he was only working the return scheme to boost his sales numbers. He said he never used the gift cards.
When asked about the incident on Sunday, he allegedly said that was the only time he’d ever tried to use one of the cards.
Auditors say they have found a total of $6,288.71 in fraudulent gift cards were issued by King as of the time of his arrest.
Source:WZVN.com
Armored truck rolls over in Mass, 2 guards injured www.privateofficer.com
Dedham MA Dec 3 2010
By:Brett Davis
PRIVATE OFFICER NEWS
http://www.privateofficer.com/ Police and fire personnel responded to a traffic accident on Route 128 south involving an armored truck that rolled over, blocking all three lanes of traffic, State Police said.
The truck rolled onto its roof at 7:44 a.m. near Exit 15 in Dedham, said Lieutenant David Wilson, a State Police spokesman.
The money did not spill out of the truck but two security guards were injured and transported to the hospital by ambulance.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, he said.
Traffic was cleared in a couple of hours and police are investigating the cause of the wreck.
Bouncers arrested in shooting of patron www.privateofficer.com
Daytona Beach police arrested Diamond Dolls bouncer Kevin Tucker II, 27, a day after he and a fellow bouncer told investigators a suspect in a black car shot Jace Keeler, the man they said they’d ejected from the building for reportedly selling drugs inside.
Tucker, police said, was the real shooter.
He was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm.
Fellow bouncer Daniel McDonald, 35, was charged as an accessory, police said.
The shooting happened about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, just after Keeler, 21, was escorted from the club, according to a police report. Once outside, Keeler “was dancing around in the street, slapping his belt on the pavement, and yelling racial slurs and epithets” at Tucker, posturing to fight him, the report stated.
Tucker is black and Keeler is white, according to the report. McDonald, the other bouncer, also is white.
When police arrived, responding to a 9-1-1 call reporting shots fired, Keeler was lying on the ground near a utility pole with a gunshot wound, saying a bouncer shot him.
He was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center with injuries to his arm and abdomen requiring stitches and staples, according to the report.
At the club, the bouncers told police a black Chevrolet Caprice pulled up as Keeler was walking away from the club on Madison Avenue. The men said Keeler yelled more profanities and racial slurs at the Caprice — “I ain’t (expletive) talking to you, I’m talking to that fat (expletive) (racial slur) out there,” according to the report — before the driver got out, shot him and sped away before they could get a good look.
The arrest reports released today did not explain exactly how police determined there was no mystery Caprice, but the report references “surveillance videos and witness statements” as evidence.
When reached by phone tonight, a manager at Diamond Dolls said he couldn’t talk about the shooting.
news-journalonline.com
