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CRIME DIGEST
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• STOLEN GOODS FOUND ON SUSPECT: CERES - Abraham Garcia, 39, of Modesto, was arrested and booked after he was stopped by a Ceres police officer on Saturday morning lurking in an alley and found with fraudulent payroll checks and property believed to be stolen.

Officer Joe Wren found Garcia in the 1900 block of Darrah Street at 11:56 a.m. Garcia was found with illegally reproduced copies of Del Monte Foods payroll checks which were faked and made out to individuals, said Lt. Brent Smith of Ceres Police Department. Garcia was also found with a cell phone which did not belong to him as well as trying to ditch a laptop computer and case which he said belonged to a friend he could not identify.

When he was being interrogated, Garcia reportedly kicked Wren, netting him an additional charge of assault on a peace officer. Garcia was also charged with possession of fraudulent checks and violation of probation for prior burglary and forgery charges.

• CLOTHING STORE BURGLARIZED: CERES - Ceres police are investigating the Sunday morning burglary of a clothing store on Hatch Road.

An alarm went off at 7:56 a.m. at La Buena Vida clothing store at 1540 Hatch Road. Police found the burglar entered through an adjacent vacant store building and put a hole in the wall between the two spaces. A small bag of methamphetamine was found near the hole, said Lt. Brent Smith.

It is unknown exactly what may have been taken during the break-in.

• THEFT REPORTED AT LIQUOR STORE: CERES - The front glass door Stop & Shop Beer & Wine, 1578 Whitmore Ave., was shattered early on Monday, May 7 by a burglar or burglars who unsuccessfully attempted to steal the business's cash register.

An alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. and police quickly responded. The store owner said packs of cigarettes were taken along with beef jerky. The suspect tried to take the entire cash register but was unable to remove all the wiring.

• BODY FOUND IN POOL: CERES - Police responded to a 6:30 p.m. Sunday call made by relatives who found the body of a 49-year-old woman floating in a backyard swimming pool.

It's uncertain if the woman drowned or if she suffered a heart attack while in the above-ground pool at 3036 Fifth Street.

Police said there were no signs of foul play nor trauma.

The woman apparently unsuccessfully to call relatives at 4:53 p.m. Later the relatives checked on the woman and found her dead in the pool.

An autopsy was performed on the body yesterday but the resulted were not available as of press time.

• AUTO THEFT SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER PURSUIT: CERES - Officer Brian Albonetti attempted to stop a stolen 1991 Jeep Cherokee early Saturday but the driver decided to lead him on a pursuit instead.

The stolen Jeep was spotted by Albonetti at 12:30 a.m. at Bystrum Road and Latimer Avenue. Albonetti discovered that the Jeep had license plates belonging to a Ford. When Albonetti activated his emergency lights, the driver, Joshua Blackwood, 27, of Modesto, accelerated and took evasive actions. The pursuit ended on Hosmer Avenue with Blackwood running on foot. During his attempted escape, Blackwood was seen reaching into his waistband but was tackled by Albonetti. The suspect put up a fight with the officer. Blackwood sustained lacerations on his head during the struggle which required stitches.

Blackwood was arrested on charges of auto theft and leading an officer on a pursuit.

The Jeep had been stolen from a Modesto location.