By Alicia A. Caldwell
Arizona Daily Wildcat
December 5, 1997

Police Beat

University police arrested a 25-year-old Tucson man on theft charges yesterday after officers saw his 1984 Ford Thunderbird broken down on North Cherry Avenue south of East Speedway Boulevard.

Officers reportedly saw Jesus Gil, of the 3700 block of East Fourth Street and an unidentified male pushing the car out of the path of traffic at about 12:40 a.m. The officers stopped to make sure the car was removed from the street, police reports stated.

After checking the car's license plate, officers discovered that the Sonora, Mexico plates were reported stolen to Tucson Police Department, police reports stated.

Gil reportedly told officers he did not have his driver's license with him and that his father had the registration to the Thunderbird. He told officers he bought the car from his father who had purchased it from a friend, police reports stated.

Officers asked to speak to Gil's father and he told them that he really bought the car from a friend for $400, police reports stated.

Gil told officers the friend returned to Mexico and he got the car with the Mexico plates, police reports stated.

The Thunderbird was impounded and was being held by police until proof of ownership is established, according to police reports.

Gil was cited for theft and taken to Pima County Jail.

A male student called university police Sunday after finding computer equipment and several other valuables missing from his room at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house, 1420 N. Vine Ave.

The student told officers he left his room just after 2 p.m. Nov. 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday, police reports stated.

When he returned Sunday at 3 p.m. the computer equipment, stereo speakers, a VCR, an answering machine, silver identification bracelet and an air conditioning unit were missing, police reports stated.

A neighbor reportedly told officers he was at the fraternity house on Friday and everything looked fine. He said he left at noon Friday and when he came back at 2 p.m. on Saturday the student's door was open, police reports stated.

The witness told officers he found candy wrappers on the ground and noticed that a vending machine had been broken into, police reports stated.

The other witness reportedly returned from checking the vending machine and noticed the student's door was now closed. He told officers he thought the student was in a bad mood and did not want to bother him, police reports stated.

When the student returned to his room on Sunday, he found all of the items missing.

Officers warned all the fraternity members to close and lock all doors and windows at night to deter future break-ins, police reports stated.

The missing computer equipment and other electronics were valued at over $1,100.

University police got a call from a male employee Wednesday after finding his Zone 1 parking permit missing from his desk drawer in the Life Sciences South building, 1007 E. Lowell St.

The employee told officers he left the permit in his office when he left for a month-long trip on Nov. 1, police reports stated.

He returned to his office Saturday just before midnight and found the permit missing, police reports stated.

According to reports nothing else was missing from the desk.

The permit was valued at $180.

A male student called university police Wednesday after finding his Stump Jumper bicycle missing from a bike rack near McClelland Hall, 1130 E. Helen St.

The student told officers he parked and locked his bike to the rack at 6 p.m. Monday, police reports stated.

He reportedly went to the Main Library, 1510 E. University Blvd. and returned to the bike rack at 11 p.m. Both the bike and the cable lock were missing, police reports stated.

The bike and lock were valued at over $500.

University police got a call from a female student Sunday after finding her Schwinn mountain bike missing from a bike rack near Coronado Residence Hall, 822 E. Fifth St.

The student reportedly secured her bike with a cable lock at 11 a.m., Nov. 26. She returned at 2:45 p.m. Sunday and the bike and lock were gone, police reports stated.

The value of the bike and lock were unknown.

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