POLICE BEAT

According to police reports, an employee from the Associated Students Bookstore, 1209 E. University Blvd., called police at 11 a.m. after he suspected Christopher M. Garcia, 26, of the 400 block of West Orange Grove Road, was about to steal a backpack.

The employee told police Garcia fit the description of someone who had stolen a green backpack from the store Sunday, reports stated.

The employee and the officer watched Garcia begin to walk out of the store with a purple backpack. The officer asked Garcia if it was his bag, and he said it wasn't. He told the officer he mistook it for his bag, reports stated.

The employee went and got the green bag Garcia had brought with him originally. The bag fit the description of the one stolen Sunday.

According to reports, an officer spoke with the owner of the purple bag and returned it to her.

The employee told police the green backpack was a "dummy" bag he had used to set Garcia up, reports stated.

The officer asked Garcia if he knew he had been videotaped during the theft. Garcia said to the officer, "You know what's up. I'll tell you the truth, but not here - outside," reports stated.

Police then transported Garcia to UAPD headquarters, where he told officers he had come to campus that day for two reasons: to find a book he had been looking for, which he planned to steal along with another backpack, reports stated.

Garcia told police he took the green bag to see if it had money inside. When he found no money, he said he wanted to leave the bag where he got it and take another one, reports stated.

Police took Garcia to Pima County Jail and booked him on two counts of suspected burglary.

A student called police Monday afternoon after she received harassing phone calls and was followed by a man, police reports stated.

The woman told police the man left a message on her answering machine in her room at Coronado Residence Hall, 822 E. Fifth St., at noon Wednesday.

According to police reports, the man said on the message, "I saw your boyfriend kiss you. You're so beautiful."

The woman told police he had called her four times since the first message and that when she was in Subway on the corner of North Tyndall Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard 1 p.m. Monday, she saw him and told him to leave her alone, reports stated.

Police have arrested the man on previous occasions, reports stated. The man has also been known to hang around campus and ask women if he can take pictures of them, reports stated.

Officers arrested three students Monday night on suspicion of criminal trespassing after one officer saw a bottle rocket fly from the center of the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, 1827 E. Enke Drive.

According to police reports, an officer was driving north on North Campbell Avenue at 1:08 a.m. when he saw the rocket soar from the center of the building. The officer radioed two other officers for backup.

Another officer saw three men wearing all black, standing on the diving platforms. When the men saw the officer the attempted to flee, reports stated.

The three men ran for a gate, but it was locked so they were forced to face the officer.

Curt Patrick Clinkenbeard, 18, Josh Courtney Dugan, 19, and Andrew MacDonald, 19, all residents of Kaibab Residence Hall, 922 E. Fourth St., were questioned and searched by the officers.

According to reports, an officer found Clinkenbeard and MacDonald both possessed butterfly knives. They told police they were "just messing around," and that they had the knives for no particular reason, reports stated.

Clinkenbeard and MacDonald were cited for trespassing and possession of weapons on school property. Dugan was cited for trespassing. The three students were then released.

A woman student was injured Monday morning after another female student riding a bicycle hit her, police reports stated.

Police arrived at the corner of North Campbell Avenue and East University Boulevard at 9:10 a.m. and found the student sitting on the curb. Medics from the Tucson Fire Department treated the woman for abrasions on her elbow and knee.

The woman told police she was struck by a woman on a dark-colored bike and then left the scene, reports stated.

There were no other witnesses.

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