ROBBERY IN KEYES: KEYES - The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department is looking for two men who held up a man in Keyes in a sale of espresso machines gone bad.
A Livermore resident read about the sale of the machines on Craigslist.com and said he drove to the 4000 block of Anna Street on Saturday evening with $3,000 to purchase the machine. He was greeted outside the house, and taken in to see the machines when a masked man inside held a gun and ordered the man on the ground. He was robbed of his cell phone and the money.
The suspects took off in a four-door car that was dark in color, said Sheriff's spokesman Raj Singh. The man drove to a convenience store where he called 911 at 7:50 p.m. to report the robbery. He described the first man as a Latino, 5-foot-9, thin build with black hair, brown eyes and a goatee.
Anyone with clues on the crime is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 521-4636.
RECKLESS MOTORCYCLIST ARRESTED: CERES - A Los Banos motorcyclist started off 2008 on the wrong foot when he was jailed New Year's Day after speeding and trying to outrun a police officer.
Two other men riding alongside of Jeffrey Moore, 29, got away from officers.
The incident unfolded at 4:12 p.m. as Officer Wren was on his way to work in a marked patrol vehicle and spotted three motorcycles on northbound Highway 99. The three were reportedly "driving like crazy," with one popping a wheelie on the freeway and traveling at over 100 mph. The three got off on the Mitchell Road offramp when Wren tried to stop them on northbound Mitchell Road.
Wren called off the pursuit because of heavy traffic and since the men were weaving in and out of lanes and running red lights on Mitchell Road. Wren alerted other units and watched Moore get cut off from the other two. Moore was apprehended and booked for felony evading an officer and felony reckless driving. Because Moore was on probation for driving violations and three prior convictions for driving over 100 mph, the judged signed an enhanced bail amount of $100,000.
"The way he was driving he was a danger to the community," said Borges.
REPORTS OF GUNFIRE AT FIGHT: CERES - Police are unsure if the reports of gunfire on New Year's Eve were related to a physical fight at Casa Grande Apartments.
At 3:07 a.m., a Stanislaus County Sheriff's deputy was rolling through the 3500 block of Whitmore Avenue when he heard shots fired. He pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex and spotted an altercation beween the complex manager and Miguel Servin, 29, of Modesto.
Ceres Deputy Chief Mike Borges reported that Servin had been fighting his baby's mother when the male manager intervened.
"Someone fired off two or three rounds and we have no idea who," said Borges.
Servin was charged with spousal battery.
STOLEN CAR FOUND IN EASTGATE: CERES - A 15-year-old Ceres teen was arrested after he nearly struck a patrol unit while driving a stolen car on Thursday, Dec 27.
The teen, who was not named because of his age, allegedly stole the vehicle from his brother in Livingston earlier in the day.
Bernard Banks, 20, of Ceres, was arrested for violation of probation and possession of stolen property in connection with the 10:31 p.m. incident.
Ceres Police Officer Mike Perez was on patrol in the area of Helen Perry and Eastgate when he was nearly broadsided by a vehicle in the intersection. Perez flipped a U-turn to pursue the vehicle but when he found it ditched at the curb, the occupants had already fled. As he was searching, he saw Banks pop up from behind another vehicle. He said he was the passenger in the car and thought that the car was stolen.
Officer Julio Amador arrived with his canine and began looking for the driver. He located the boy hiding a block or two away, said Deputy Chief Mike Borges. The teen gave up when he heard the dog but was allegedly not cooperative with officers.
The unnamed teen was charged with auto theft, possession of stolen property and resisting arrest.
COMBATIVE DRUNK AT WAL-MART: CERES - A Ceres man was arrested at the Ceres Wal-Mart on New Year's Eve after he showed signs of heavy intoxication as he headed back to his car.
At 6 p.m. Wal-Mart store employees flagged down officers Bob Panos and Carlos Quiroz to point out Jason Haley, 39, of Ceres, in the store parking lot attempting to get into his car and drive off. Haley's wife was allegedly concerned about him getting behind the wheel as well, said Deputy Chief Mike Borges.
"He may have downed a bottle before he got there," said Borges.
Officers Panos and Quiroz approached Haley who decided to fight. The officers used pepper spray, and then struck him numerous strikes with batons to get him under control. He continued to fight officers, leading to deployment of the Taser gun, which didn't faze him. Officer Joe Wren showed up and released his canine on Haley. Despite trying to kick the dog, Haley was brought to the ground and handcuffed.
He was charged with drunkeness in public, resisting arrest, assault on a peace officer and assault on a police canine.
MAN ARRESTED FOR CARRYING LOADED GUN: CERES - A Ceres man was arrested Jan. 1 for carrying a loaded handgun in his car and his girlfriend arrested for interfering with the arrest.
Timothy Burch, 20, was driving his car in the 2300 block of Central Avenue at 12:40 p.m. when he was pulled over by Officer Carlos Quiroz for a traffic violation. Because Burch was driving on a suspended license, the officer was having the car towed from the scene. Inside the car he found a loaded .25 caliber handgun in the center console.
As the occupants were taken down at gunpoint, Burch's girlfriend, Tiffany Bush, 19, of Ceres, stopped nearby and tried to interfere with police operations, said Ceres Deputy Chief Mike Borges, fearful that Burch could be shot. At about the same time that an officer grabbed Bush to be arrested, Bush's brother, Craig Bush, 18, of Modesto, grabbed his sister to drag her away from the scene. He was arrested for interferring with police matters, said Borges.
Burch was cited for transporting a weapon in a vehicle and loaded gun in public.
Borges said that law requires guns to be locked in the trunk before they can be legally transported. They also cannot be loaded in a public place.
A Livermore resident read about the sale of the machines on Craigslist.com and said he drove to the 4000 block of Anna Street on Saturday evening with $3,000 to purchase the machine. He was greeted outside the house, and taken in to see the machines when a masked man inside held a gun and ordered the man on the ground. He was robbed of his cell phone and the money.
The suspects took off in a four-door car that was dark in color, said Sheriff's spokesman Raj Singh. The man drove to a convenience store where he called 911 at 7:50 p.m. to report the robbery. He described the first man as a Latino, 5-foot-9, thin build with black hair, brown eyes and a goatee.
Anyone with clues on the crime is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 521-4636.
RECKLESS MOTORCYCLIST ARRESTED: CERES - A Los Banos motorcyclist started off 2008 on the wrong foot when he was jailed New Year's Day after speeding and trying to outrun a police officer.
Two other men riding alongside of Jeffrey Moore, 29, got away from officers.
The incident unfolded at 4:12 p.m. as Officer Wren was on his way to work in a marked patrol vehicle and spotted three motorcycles on northbound Highway 99. The three were reportedly "driving like crazy," with one popping a wheelie on the freeway and traveling at over 100 mph. The three got off on the Mitchell Road offramp when Wren tried to stop them on northbound Mitchell Road.
Wren called off the pursuit because of heavy traffic and since the men were weaving in and out of lanes and running red lights on Mitchell Road. Wren alerted other units and watched Moore get cut off from the other two. Moore was apprehended and booked for felony evading an officer and felony reckless driving. Because Moore was on probation for driving violations and three prior convictions for driving over 100 mph, the judged signed an enhanced bail amount of $100,000.
"The way he was driving he was a danger to the community," said Borges.
REPORTS OF GUNFIRE AT FIGHT: CERES - Police are unsure if the reports of gunfire on New Year's Eve were related to a physical fight at Casa Grande Apartments.
At 3:07 a.m., a Stanislaus County Sheriff's deputy was rolling through the 3500 block of Whitmore Avenue when he heard shots fired. He pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex and spotted an altercation beween the complex manager and Miguel Servin, 29, of Modesto.
Ceres Deputy Chief Mike Borges reported that Servin had been fighting his baby's mother when the male manager intervened.
"Someone fired off two or three rounds and we have no idea who," said Borges.
Servin was charged with spousal battery.
STOLEN CAR FOUND IN EASTGATE: CERES - A 15-year-old Ceres teen was arrested after he nearly struck a patrol unit while driving a stolen car on Thursday, Dec 27.
The teen, who was not named because of his age, allegedly stole the vehicle from his brother in Livingston earlier in the day.
Bernard Banks, 20, of Ceres, was arrested for violation of probation and possession of stolen property in connection with the 10:31 p.m. incident.
Ceres Police Officer Mike Perez was on patrol in the area of Helen Perry and Eastgate when he was nearly broadsided by a vehicle in the intersection. Perez flipped a U-turn to pursue the vehicle but when he found it ditched at the curb, the occupants had already fled. As he was searching, he saw Banks pop up from behind another vehicle. He said he was the passenger in the car and thought that the car was stolen.
Officer Julio Amador arrived with his canine and began looking for the driver. He located the boy hiding a block or two away, said Deputy Chief Mike Borges. The teen gave up when he heard the dog but was allegedly not cooperative with officers.
The unnamed teen was charged with auto theft, possession of stolen property and resisting arrest.
COMBATIVE DRUNK AT WAL-MART: CERES - A Ceres man was arrested at the Ceres Wal-Mart on New Year's Eve after he showed signs of heavy intoxication as he headed back to his car.
At 6 p.m. Wal-Mart store employees flagged down officers Bob Panos and Carlos Quiroz to point out Jason Haley, 39, of Ceres, in the store parking lot attempting to get into his car and drive off. Haley's wife was allegedly concerned about him getting behind the wheel as well, said Deputy Chief Mike Borges.
"He may have downed a bottle before he got there," said Borges.
Officers Panos and Quiroz approached Haley who decided to fight. The officers used pepper spray, and then struck him numerous strikes with batons to get him under control. He continued to fight officers, leading to deployment of the Taser gun, which didn't faze him. Officer Joe Wren showed up and released his canine on Haley. Despite trying to kick the dog, Haley was brought to the ground and handcuffed.
He was charged with drunkeness in public, resisting arrest, assault on a peace officer and assault on a police canine.
MAN ARRESTED FOR CARRYING LOADED GUN: CERES - A Ceres man was arrested Jan. 1 for carrying a loaded handgun in his car and his girlfriend arrested for interfering with the arrest.
Timothy Burch, 20, was driving his car in the 2300 block of Central Avenue at 12:40 p.m. when he was pulled over by Officer Carlos Quiroz for a traffic violation. Because Burch was driving on a suspended license, the officer was having the car towed from the scene. Inside the car he found a loaded .25 caliber handgun in the center console.
As the occupants were taken down at gunpoint, Burch's girlfriend, Tiffany Bush, 19, of Ceres, stopped nearby and tried to interfere with police operations, said Ceres Deputy Chief Mike Borges, fearful that Burch could be shot. At about the same time that an officer grabbed Bush to be arrested, Bush's brother, Craig Bush, 18, of Modesto, grabbed his sister to drag her away from the scene. He was arrested for interferring with police matters, said Borges.
Burch was cited for transporting a weapon in a vehicle and loaded gun in public.
Borges said that law requires guns to be locked in the trunk before they can be legally transported. They also cannot be loaded in a public place.
