FRIDAY, JAN. 6
A deputy was dispatched to a shoplifting call at a local convenience store. Dispatch advised that a male subject had gone into the store and had taken a 18 count case of beer. The suspect got into a silver or light blue Ford Taurus and left, heading southbound onto the Ute Mountain Ute reservation. Dispatch notified the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the vehicles description. The male removed the case of beer from the cooler, and walked out the door past the counter without stopping to pay. The clerk mentioned that someone else was possibly driving the vehicle because the headlights remained on as it was parked and instead of pulling headfirst into the parking spot, it had backed into it. Surveillance video confirmed the store clerks account of the incident.
SATURDAY, JAN. 7
A deputy traveling south on Maple St. in Cortez came to an intersection and observed a car at the intersection with a female sitting on the lap of a male in the passenger seat. He pulled over the vehicle, and could smell alcohol coming from the interior. The driver said that he did not have his license on him; dispatch was able to confirm that he did have a valid license. All of the occupants of the vehicle were 21 years old except for the driver and the front seat passengers. The male in the front seat was asked if he had consumed any alcohol; he sat there for a minute and then, with slurred speech, replied I drank some this morning. The deputy noted that it was currently after 1:30 in the morning, and the passenger amended his answer and said Earlier today. The passenger failed a breathalyzer test and said (Expletive), I just got off five years of probation. He was issued a summons for illegal possession/consumption of alcohol by an underage person. It was determined that the driver was not under the influence of intoxicating beverages and was safe to operate the vehicle. He advised the deputy that he was the designated driver.
A deputy responded to a local convenience store in reference to a report of counterfeit currency. Employees at the store were unsure which one of them might have taken the $20 counterfeit bill, which would have been helpful in narrowing down possible video footage. The day before the bill was brought in, there had been another counterfeit $20 called in, when a female customer returned to the store after being given the fake bill as change after a purchase earlier that day. The store clerk remembered giving the woman a $20 as part of her change. The woman that received the bill from the convenience store knew the bill was phony because her bank had confirmed this when she brought it in to them.
SUNDAY, JAN. 8
Dispatch requested that a deputy respond to a local convenience store for a report of shoplifting. An employee told the deputy that a man had stolen two 30 count cases of beer totalling $35.58, a bag of chips, and a can of Arizona Ice Tea. The deputy viewed surveillance footage of the incident and was able to identify one of the men. The video footage showed a maroon colored Chevy Trailblazer pull up and park at the fuel pumps. Two men entered the store; one of them walked around carrying the bag of chips and the can of ice tea, and then grabbed the two cases of beer and brought them up to the counter. He asked the clerk how much the beer was, and when she went to check the price on the refrigerator, he grabbed everything off the counter and ran out to the vehicle, which left the business. Both men in the video were positively identified by an agent with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A warrant for the arrest of the individual was issued.
FRIDAY, JAN. 13
A deputy was contacted by a property owner in regards to a neighbors dogs again being on his property. Due to the numerous issues with the dogs, the owner had set up a trail camera that captured photos of the two dogs on his property over two days, and the deputy recognized the two dogs from prior contacts. There were also photos of the damage to the property from the dogs. The property owner and his wife had spent approximately 10 hours fixing the damage. He had also contacted the owner of the dogs prior to calling the Sheriffs Department in an attempt to resolve the issue amongst themselves, but had received no help or offers of help in fixing the damage from the dogs owner. The deputy attempted to contact the dogs owner, but has been unable to in relation to this latest incident. The deputy had contacted her four previous times in regards to her dogs damaging the neighbors property. On two occasions, he had issued her summonses for a Dogs Not Under Control violation, and had been given two additional verbal warnings. Once contacted, she will be issued a summons for the same violation third offense.
