POLICE BEAT

University police arrested a teenager on suspicion of theft Wednesday, after a security guard saw him allegedly take a tape recorder at the UA Associated Students Bookstore, 1209 E. University Blvd.

The security guard observed the youth, later identified as 16-year-old Ralph Martinez of the 800 block of West Calle Sur, through a security camera as Martinez walked around the store carrying a Panasonic microcassette recorder valued at $32.99, police reports stated.

The security guard told a Department of Public Safety officer on duty at the bookstore that Martinez had slipped behind a clothing rack in order to sneak the recorder into his clothes, reports indicated.

Confronting Martinez as he left the store, the officer searched him and found the recorder, according to police reports.

University police arrived minutes later and arrested Martinez on suspicion of shoplifting, and took him to the Pima County Juvenile Court Center.

A UA employee reported receiving several threatening phone calls Wednesday at her office at McCelland Hall, 1130 E. Helen St., from a person she believes is a former student.

The employee told police the calls began at 1 p.m., and that she counted about 12 calls from the same woman before she contacted police about an hour later, police reports stated.

The victim advised police that the former student was upset about receiving a failing grade in her class. The instructor outlined the UA grievance process, allowing the student the opportunity to contest the grade, reports stated.

The student responded with the following statements: "Don't worry, I'll get you," and "I've already talked to people," according to police reports.

The employee told police she was not interested in filing charges at that time, and that she planned to inform the Dean of Students Office about the student's conduct.

University police arrested a student on outstanding warrants Tuesday, after they saw him allegedly drive through a stop sign on East Second Street at North Martin Avenue.

Officers were driving north on Cherry Avenue at 9:54 p.m. when they saw two men in a 1997 Jeep Wrangler go through the stop sign at about 10 mph, police reports stated.

Police approached the vehicle and noticed the driver, Spyro A. Malaspinas, 24, of the 1200 block of North Park Avenue, was not wearing a seat belt, reports stated.

Malaspinas allegedly identified himself with an Arizona identification card, indicating that he was renewing his Connecticut driver's license and did not have an Arizona driver's license.

The suspect had two university police warrants and a Department of Public Safety warrant for driving with a suspended license, reports stated.

Police cited Malaspinas for driving with no license, failing to stop at a stop sign and for not wearing a seat belt, reports stated.

While questioning Malaspinas, an officer noticed a wooden Nunchaku set sticking out from under the back seat, according to police. Because the owner of the weapon could not be determined, no charges were filed, reports stated.

Malaspinas was taken to the Pima County Jail for the warrants, and was later released to Pretrial Services, which services as an investigative conduit for the courts.

Two university police officers noticed about eight orange traffic cones blocking both westbound lanes of East Sixth Street early Wednesday after as they drove north on Warren Avenue.

Officers then noticed a youth, later identified as Anton H. Kress, 17, of the 2100 block of East Third Street, who appeared to be setting up the cones at 12:20 a.m., police reports stated.

Kress told police he was setting up the cones because he thought it was funny, adding "You should ask my dad some of the stupid shit I have done," police reports said. Officers arrested him on suspicion of obstruction of a highway or other public thoroughfare, took him to university police headquarters and later released him to his father.

A bizarre transmission interrupted normal police dispatches Thursday, causing a few minutes of confusion at university police headquarters, 1200 E. Lowell St.

At 12:47 p.m., what appeared to be a man's voice crackled over the police radio, saying, "You're a beat-off," according to police reports.

University police Chief Harry Hueston II then walked into the dispatcher's booth and asked, "Is that what I think it was?" reports indicated.

The dispatcher replied, "Yes."

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