Northeast News
May 4, 2011

Thefts continue to be an issue for Northeast.

During the April 27 Truman Road Crime Commission meeting, East Patrol’s Community Interactive Officer Jason Cooley updated attendees on recent crime activity.

Thirty-three batteries were stolen from Blast It Clean, 7800 E. 12th, April 25 and cost the business $7,000. The batteries were taken from compressors behind the warehouse and East Patrol is still looking for a suspect.

Cooley warned that while a business may not think something’s valuable, a criminal might.

“There’s criminals out there that know the value and will take it to a scrap yard to collect on it,” Cooley said.

Businesses should invest in proper security, including an alarm system, surveillance equipment and cameras, he said. Proper security equipment aids in the police department’s investigation, he said.

One potential crime was prevented by Det. Huth, he said. While at the corner of Jackson and Truman, Huth noticed a suspect walking westbound carrying a long rifle. The suspect ignored several verbal commands, but finally complied. The man claimed he was a police officer and okay to be armed. Huth recovered a fully loaded 12-gauge shot gun with a shortened stock, along with an air gun from the suspect’s waistband. The suspect insisted the air gun was the new Polymer Glock pistol capable of lethal force.

“Who knows what he was in route to do,” Cooley said of the suspect. “He was probably on his way to a business somewhere to rob it. That was prevented, of course.”

Another suspect thought he could outsmart a steering wheel club. Instead of trying to pry the club off, he decided to set it on fire, thinking it would melt away. East Patrol received a call of a vehicle on fire at 7008 E. 12th Terr. and found the suspect at the scene. The suspect attempted to flee, but was taken into custody.

“The clubs are important. They do their job,” Cooley said. “Unfortunately, this person got their vehicle burnt in the process. But, I can assure you the criminal in this instance won’t try to burn a club from a vehicle again. He’ll move to a softer target.”