POLICE BEAT

University police arrested a student on suspicion of alcohol-related charges July 14 after he was spotted hiding a 40 oz. bottle of malt liquor under his shirt near the StarMart at North Park Avenue and East Sixth Street.

Nathan T. Ihle, 20, of the 900 block of East 10th Street, told officers he had purchased the alcohol from the StarMart without showing proof of age. The clerk at the convenience store later told police he had sold the alcohol at about 11: 50 p.m. - but not to Ihle, according to police reports.

The arrestee told police he was 21, but a subsequent records check revealed he was 20. According to reports, when officers asked why he lied, Ihle responded, "self preservation."

Police disposed of the alcohol, cited Ihle on suspicion of possessing and consuming alcohol as a minor and providing false information. He was then released.

Running shoes and two stopwatches were among the items taken from a locker at Bear Down Gymnasium, 1428 E. University Blvd., while a UA employee was on sabbatical, police reports stated.

The employee told police he left town May 20 and returned July 14 to find his locker empty. Although the locker had been mistakenly cleared out by a Student Recreation Center worker June 23, the center officials told police there was nothing found in the locker except for a broken lock, reports stated.

The employee told officers he did not suspect the Rec Center workers of any wrong-doing and that the theft must have occurred before June 23.

The total value of the shoes, stopwatches, several towels and a combination lock was estimated at $140.

A UA employee reported a stolen backpack July 14 after she briefly left her office to use the restroom in the Kuiper Space Sciences Building, 1629 E. University Blvd.

The employee told police she returned to her work area at 8:45 a.m. to find her backpack missing from underneath her desk. The pack contained her wallet, car keys and eyeglasses, reports stated.

Police reported that the employee remembered seeing someone unfamiliar in the building prior to the theft and the individual was described as a dark-skinned, dark-haired male, approximately 5-foot-8-inches tall and weighing 145 pounds. He was reportedly "well-dressed" and was wearing a baseball cap.

According to police reports, the individual described appeared similar to one related to several recent thefts.

No value was available for the stolen items.

Three textbooks valued at $230 were reported stolen July 14 from an office in the Civil Engineering building at North Palm Avenue and East Second Street.

A UA student told police he left on vacation July 3 and returned July 14 at 9:30 a.m. to find the books missing.

According to police reports, the office door has a punch-code lock on it and the victim shares it with about 10 other students. Occupants often prop the door open, reports stated.

University police arrested a man painting a UA fraternity house room after a records check revealed an outstanding warrant from Maricopa County.

Michael D. Ferrell, 28, of Mesa, was arrested at 11:30 p.m. July 14 at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house at 1801 E. First St., police reports stated.

Officer Jason Hyland observed a man inside the house and became suspicious because he had spoken with a Phi Gamma Delta resident about the use of the house during the summer, reports stated.

Ferrell told the officer he had been hired by the mother of a fraternity member. A computer records check showed Ferrell had a warrant from Maricopa County for failure to pay child support, reports stated.

Ferrell was taken to Pima County Jail to await extradition to Maricopa County. His car was secured at the scene.

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