• PAIR CAUGHT WITH BURGLARY TOOLS: CERES - Two motorists were arrested Wednesday afternoon, March 3, after their pickup was stopped by an officer and found with burglary tools, specifically a bolt cutter and wire rope cutters.
The arrest came at 1:40 p.m. in the 2800 block of Whitmore Avenue. The officer made the traffic stop on the silver 1977 Chevy pickup because its registration had expired. During the traffic stop the officer saw several water backflow devices like that used in a city park. The items contain copper and are being stolen by metal thieves. Driver Gary Fleming, 39, a Turlock parolee, has been arrested previously by Ceres police under similar circumstances. He was charged with possession of burglary tools, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and a parole violation.
Passenger Richard Joseph Fox, 43, of Modesto, was arrested and charged with possession of burglary tools and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The pair denied any knowledge of the irrigation devices in the vehicle, said Ceres Police Lt. Brent Smith.
• ASSAULT LINKED TO LATE RENT: CERES - Police arrested a Ceres landlord Wednesday afternoon, March 3, after he allegedly used a stun gun on a man who was late paying his rent. Michael Smith of Ceres was charged with assault with a stun gun, a felony.
Lt. Brent Smith said the alleged crime occurred in the 2300 block of Fourth Street. He said tenant Alan Friel, 39, of Ceres, complained that Smith approached him about being late with rent money and shocked him two or three times at 3 p.m. on March 3. Friel did not report the crime to police under Friday. Officer John Vera investigated and said the victim sustained injuries that matched the device's capabilities. He found Smith and the alleged weapon and arrested him on the felony charge.
• MAN CHARGED IN TV THEFT: CERES - Hours after the Ceres Walmart store reported the theft of a flat-screen TV, police had their man hours later thanks to citizens who got involved.
Walmart store reported that a man walked out the door with a 32-inch Phillips brand flat screen TV at 2:45 a.m. on Friday.
At 9:28 a.m. 911 police dispatchers received a call from someone on Dusty Miller Lane in east Ceres who was suspicious about a man burglarizing homes. The suspect was seen jumping fences.
Officer Greg Yotsuya caught Christopher Armbeck, 23, of Modesto, in the 1700 block of Faith Home Road. Armbeck was carrying the TV which he apparently hid in an orchard and came back to retrieve.
"He was just so high on meth he couldn't even talk," said Lt. Brent Smith.
Armbeck was charged with commercial burglary, possession of stolen property, being under the influence of methamphetamine, trespassing and using a false name.
The arrest came at 1:40 p.m. in the 2800 block of Whitmore Avenue. The officer made the traffic stop on the silver 1977 Chevy pickup because its registration had expired. During the traffic stop the officer saw several water backflow devices like that used in a city park. The items contain copper and are being stolen by metal thieves. Driver Gary Fleming, 39, a Turlock parolee, has been arrested previously by Ceres police under similar circumstances. He was charged with possession of burglary tools, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and a parole violation.
Passenger Richard Joseph Fox, 43, of Modesto, was arrested and charged with possession of burglary tools and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The pair denied any knowledge of the irrigation devices in the vehicle, said Ceres Police Lt. Brent Smith.
• ASSAULT LINKED TO LATE RENT: CERES - Police arrested a Ceres landlord Wednesday afternoon, March 3, after he allegedly used a stun gun on a man who was late paying his rent. Michael Smith of Ceres was charged with assault with a stun gun, a felony.
Lt. Brent Smith said the alleged crime occurred in the 2300 block of Fourth Street. He said tenant Alan Friel, 39, of Ceres, complained that Smith approached him about being late with rent money and shocked him two or three times at 3 p.m. on March 3. Friel did not report the crime to police under Friday. Officer John Vera investigated and said the victim sustained injuries that matched the device's capabilities. He found Smith and the alleged weapon and arrested him on the felony charge.
• MAN CHARGED IN TV THEFT: CERES - Hours after the Ceres Walmart store reported the theft of a flat-screen TV, police had their man hours later thanks to citizens who got involved.
Walmart store reported that a man walked out the door with a 32-inch Phillips brand flat screen TV at 2:45 a.m. on Friday.
At 9:28 a.m. 911 police dispatchers received a call from someone on Dusty Miller Lane in east Ceres who was suspicious about a man burglarizing homes. The suspect was seen jumping fences.
Officer Greg Yotsuya caught Christopher Armbeck, 23, of Modesto, in the 1700 block of Faith Home Road. Armbeck was carrying the TV which he apparently hid in an orchard and came back to retrieve.
"He was just so high on meth he couldn't even talk," said Lt. Brent Smith.
Armbeck was charged with commercial burglary, possession of stolen property, being under the influence of methamphetamine, trespassing and using a false name.
