Police Beat

A Circle K employee told university police that the boy and his 8-year-old sister were in the store about 5 p.m. She said she became suspicious when she saw the boy watching her as she stocked sodas into one of the store's coolers.

The employee told police she walked to where the children were and saw the boy put a container of Bubble Jug gum into his pocket. She said she also saw the sister take two candy items from the shelf and hide them at her left side. When the sister saw the employee, the girl threw the candy back onto the shelf, the employee told police.

The employee told police she asked the boy what was in his pocket, and he said "nothing." Then the boy showed her a calculator, and when she asked if there was anything else, he said no, police reports stated. Then the employee reached into the boy's pocket and found the gum, reports stated.

The children were detained in a back room until police could arrive, the employee told police.

The children's baby-sitter told police she had been taking care of the children and had given them $1 to buy candy at the convenience store.

When police asked whether the boy knew what theft was, he replied, "A bad habit," police reports stated. The boy told police that he had shoplifted from the store about every other time he visited it.

The boy was cited on a charge of shoplifting and was released to the sitter.

The gum was placed back on the shelf.

A male student reported stereo equipment stolen from his car parked in Lot 2029 Monday near the intersection of East Helen Street and North Warren Avenue.

A Tucson man told university police he was walking north through the parking lot at about 2:40 p.m. when he saw a 1977 Chevrolet pickup "squeeling his wheels." He said the truck had been parked on the south side of the lot and was trying to turn around and exit the lot going northbound.

After the truck had left the area, the man saw a 1988 Honda Civic's passenger side front window had been shattered. He said he also heard the car's alarm.

The man told police he never saw the two men in the pickup outside of the truck, but he said the truck was parked near the Civic.

Police reports stated police were unable to contact the truck's owner through its license plate number.

The owner of the Civic, a male student, told police about 7:45 p.m. that a Sony AM/FM compact disc player was stolen from his car. He also said the dashboard and electrical wiring were damaged. The student told police a CD was in the stereo when it was taken.

The stereo was valued at $319.97. The value of the damage was unknown.

A male student reported that someone had erased files in his computer account Monday at the Math building, 617 N. Santa Rita Ave.

The student told university police he attempted to gain access to his account Friday about 8 p.m. and discovered his research files had been erased. He said that the files had to have been erased Friday between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The student told police that on Monday, he mentioned to the computer system's administrator that he was going to the police to report the erased files. The administrator told the student that he had found the student's files and that they had been in his account the entire time, police reports stated.

On Monday at 1:18 p.m., the student told police that he had discovered that the person who tampered with his computer files was only playing a joke on him. He said the matter was taken care of and he did not want to press charges.

A female UA employee reported a tire on her van cut Monday in Lot 6091 near the intersection of East Sixth Street and North Highland Ave.

The employee told university police she parked her 1989 Ford Aerostar in the lot at about 6:15 a.m. When she returned to her van about 3:30 p.m., she found the right rear tire slashed.

The value of the damage is unknown.

Police Beat is compiled from official University of Arizona Police Department reports.