Policebeat

University police arrested a homeless man Monday afternoon after he admitted to stealing a bicycle from a campus-area store, police reports stated.

Police were called to Bargain Basement Bicycles, 428 N. Fremont Ave. at 5:13 p.m. The shop owner pointed out the man, who was walking in an alley between East Sixth and East Seventh streets, reports stated.

Wayne Clark Collins, 47, of a general delivery address, admitted to taking the blue $250 "Free Spirit" bicycle, but he told officers he "just wanted to test ride the bike," reports stated.

The shop owner told officers Collins was in the store earlier that day but said nothing to him about "test driving" a bicycle.

A mechanic from the shop later saw Collins riding the bicycle and told the owner, reports stated.

The owner got on another bike, found Collins near Seventh and North Highland Avenue and told him to return the bicycle to the shop, reports stated. Police arrived at the shop after Collins had already returned the bicycle and left.

The owner told officers Collins also stole a bike two weeks ago, but he chose not to report the theft because the bike was inexpensive.

Collins was cited on suspicion of attempted theft and released at the scene.

A UA employee went to the hospital Sunday night after he was almost struck by lightning.

The Facilities Management employee told officers he was walking on the east side of the Forbes Building, 1140 E. South Campus Dr., at about 8 p.m. when he was suddenly knocked on his back, reports stated.

The employee told police the Forbes Building or the surrounding area was hit by lightning and the energy from the strike knocked him down.

The man got up and contacted his supervisor who told him to get treatment at University Medical Center.

Officers found no damage around the Forbes Building.

Police discovered five parking meters pulled out of the ground and distributed throughout the campus Monday morning.

Officers noticed that five UA parking meters were yanked from a lot at East First Street and North Mountain Avenue.

Two of the meters were found laying in the lot while the other three meters were discovered on the lawn of Alpha Phi sorority, 1339 E. First St.

Officers were unable to obtain fingerprints from the meter because they were covered in mud and water, reports stated.

Police arrested a homeless man Friday night on suspicion of trespassing.

William Lee Snyder, 51, of a general delivery address, was arrested at the Drama and Theatre Building, 1025 N. Olive Road, at 8:36 p.m. after a UA custodian called police, reports stated.

When officers arrived they found Snyder asleep on a bench in the building's lobby, reports stated.

Snyder awoke and asked the officers what the problem was, saying he was only sleeping, reports stated.

Police took Snyder into custody after they discovered he was warned of trespassing on UA property on June 20.

Snyder was booked into Pima County Jail and released.

A student called police Monday morning after she noticed someone attempting to steal a bicycle near a UA parking lot.

Officers arrived at the Zone One lot, 1151 N. Vine Ave. at around 10:30 a.m.

The student told police she saw a man on the south side of the lot using a saw to cut the bicycle's lock, reports stated.

The bike was still in the lot and had sustained no apparent damage when police arrived, reports stated.

A UA employee called police Saturday morning to report more than $1,000 dollars missing from her office.

The woman, an employee at the Center for English as a Second Language, 1100 N. Campus Dr., contacted police at 10:13 a.m.

The employee said she handles the money that C.E.S.L. collects for tuition, and is issued $1,800 in cash to make change for paying students, reports stated.

She told officers that when she checked the money Saturday morning, $1,050 was missing.

The employee told police she just made a cash deposit on June 21 and there was no reason that another person would have needed to access the money.

The woman and one other person have keys to the file cabinet, but she said most of the staff has access to the keys, reports stated.

Police discovered graffiti Sunday afternoon on a cement wall near the North Olive Road tunnel.

An officer was patrolling on foot near the Architecture Building, 1040 N. Olive Road, when he discovered the writing "KA75" spray painted in blue on the cement wall south of the tunnel, reports stated.

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