Police Beat


By Jesse Lewis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday, August 9, 2004

A UA employee tried to steal a book from the UofA Bookstore, 1209 E. University Blvd. by stuffing it in his sock Thursday morning, reports stated.

A bookstore employee phoned police when he saw the employee stuff the book, entitled "Spiffs, Celebration of Cannabis," into his right sock, reports stated.

The bookstore employee told police that the man admitted to stealing the book. When police asked the suspect if he came to the bookstore with the intention of stealing the book, he said, "yes," reports stated.

The suspect said that he had enough money to buy the book. After searching the man, police found no other stolen items, reports stated.

The bookstore employee said he would prosecute for shoplifting. The suspect was cited and released for shoplifting.

The book, valued at $13.68, was returned to the bookstore. A receipt, photographs and video were placed into evidence, reports stated.


A student's tire was slashed while his vehicle was parked in a Zone 1 lot at North National Championship Drive and East Enke Drive Wednesday night, reports stated.

The student parked his car at 8:30 p.m. and when he returned at 10:30 p.m. his tire was damaged.

The student changed the tire and drove home. He told police that the only person he thought might have caused the damage was his ex-boyfriend, reports stated.

The student told police that the tire looked as though a knife or other sharp object had been stabbed into the sidewall of the tire and torn the rubber, reports stated.

The student said that the Tucson Police Department had been involved in an assault between the student and his ex-boyfriend.

The student was unable to provide a current phone number for his ex. The man is not listed, but another check found a number. Police tried to contact him but were unsuccessful, reports stated.

Police have no other suspects or witnesses.


A student was arrested for damaging a sign from a barricade at the Olive Tunnel, 1030 N. Olive Road, just before 10 p.m. on Thursday, reports stated.

When police arrived the officer saw three men skateboarding and asked them about a sign placed at the top of the steps. One of the men said he took it down to cover a crack in the sidewalk so they could skate better, reports stated.

Police told the man to put the sign back where he took it down from, but he was unsuccessful because the bolts were damaged in the removal of the sign, reports stated.

Police cited and released the student for malicious mischief, reports stated. All of the men were made aware that they are not permitted to skateboard on UA property.


A student was arrested for possession of marijuana after he was pulled over at the corner of North Mountain Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard at 12:02 a.m. Wednesday, reports stated.

Police pulled the student over for having expired registration tags. A records check showed that the student had a citation for underage drinking in Phoenix, reports stated.

The officer explained to the student why he had been stopped and told the suspect about the underage drinking charge, reports stated.

The student said that he had gotten in trouble for underage drinking but he didn't have anything in the car with him and that police could check if they wanted to, reports stated.

After the officer ran a records check on the student's license he decided to have a look at the car. Before he began the student opened his door and said, "I do have this," and handed the officer a bag containing a green leafy substance, reports stated.

The student looked at the officer and asked if he would be charged for it and the officer said "yes," and called for backup.

Nothing else was found in the car, on the driver or on the passenger. The student said the marijuana was his but that he hadn't used any that night, reports stated.

The student was cited and released.


A room on the third floor of the Gould-Simpson building, 1040 E. Fourth St., flooded sometime before 3:43 a.m. on Thursday, reports stated.

An on-call facilities management employee was in the building checking out different equipment when he noticed water dripping from the ceiling on the second floor.

He went up to the third floor and saw that a water station was leaking and flooding a room, reports stated.

The water had been running for an unknown period of time and had flooded the floor, a table in the middle of the room, an x-ray machine, two computers, two monitors, two keyboards and a printer, reports stated.

Many other items were found wet.

The water had collected on the floor and on the computers, reports stated. Police photographed the whole room.

Although standing water was found on the table, floor and computers, there didn't seem to be any damage to the equipment, reports stated.

Police submitted the photos to property as evidence.

Police have no suspects or witnesses.


Police Beat is compiled from official University of Arizona Police Department reports. For a complete list of UAPD activity, the daily resumé can be found at http://uapd.arizona.edu.