• CYLINDER DESTROYED AT LIBRARY: CERES - A citizen brought a 12-inch long white cylinder which he thought could be a pipe bomb to Ceres Police headquarters on Third Street Sunday morning, June6. It was later destroyed by the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Bomb Squad.
The device was brought to the station at 946 a.m. by Gerald Baldwin, 43, of Modesto, believing it was a pipe bomb. He found the item at a rental home in Modesto. Officer Coey Henson told Baldwin to set it down on the grass in front of the police station.
The device was destroyed in the dumpster of the nearby library. Lt. Brent Smith said the device contained marijuana.
He advised citizens to never transport such a device, saying an actual bomb could go off while being moved a vehicle. Authorities say it's safer to leave suspicious devices without touching them, he said.
• MAN ARRESTED FOR STEALING BOOZE: CERES - Police arrested a man who fled Cost Less Foods on Hatch Road on Sunday, June 6, with a bottle of Vodka and a six-pack of pineapple juice.
A store security guard flagged down an officer at 10:58 a.m. and provided a description of the suspect. Moments later officer Dan Fairchild spotted Mike Mosley, 47, of Modesto, riding a bike at Sam and Nadine avenues with the goods. He was arrested for commercial burglary and theft with a prior conviction.
• SUSPECT ESCAPES OFFICER:CERES - Police are looking to arrest Ricardo Uribe, 29, of Modesto, after he outran an officer early Thursday, June 10.
At 2:43 a.m. Officer Jason Brock was on patrol when he saw a green 1996 Honda Accord driving eastbound on Moonlight Drive without headlights operating. Brock pulled the driver over. Uribe pulled into a driveway of a vacant residence on Sun Meadow Drive and fled on foot. Brock chased Uribe and at fired a Taser at him with only one dart striking the suspect.
During the chase Uribe dropped his cell phone which had a photo of him on it. Police also noted that the car was registered to Uribe. Inside the vehicle were a pair of bolt cutters and vehicle ignition keys, of which approximately 30 were shaved. Shaved keys are common tools used by auto thieves.
An arrest warrant has been sworn to pick up Uribe on charges of possession of burglary tools and resisting arrest.
• JUVENILES ARRESTED IN HOME INVASION ROBBERY: CERES - A 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were arrested Monday evening, June 14, after they allegedly participated in a home invasion robbery in the 2200 block of Calcagno Street.
At 9:07 p.m. an alert neighbor saw suspects running from the residence, some carrying out items. In front of the house was parked a gray Saturn parked with two Hispanic women sitting inside. The witness said a Hispanic man had jumped over the side yard fence and ran westbound on Calcagno. Two females were seen running from front door carrying items under their shirts and taking off eastbound on Calcagno. A second man ran out of front door carrying an item that resembled a handgun and ran eastbound. The Saturn then left, traveling eastbound.
When police arrived they were told that the intruders entered the house and ordered some youth to lie face down on the ground after showing a gun which later proved to be a B-B gun. The grandmother living on the property walked into the back door after noticing the power had been shut off and interrupted the robbery. One of the suspects, who was masked, informed her that she had a gun but she ordered everyone to leave.
Three of the six suspects were arrested shortly after the crime. They face charges of home invasion robbery.
• KIDNAPPING AND EXTORTION PLOT REVEALED: CERES - A Ceres woman called police Monday afternoon about a kidnapping and extortion plot involving her brother in Mexico.
The woman said she received a call on Saturday from someone saying that they had kidnapped her brother and demanded $2,500 ransom to be wired to them via Western Union. The kidnappers put the brother, Valenten Vargas, on the phone to speak to the sister. The woman wired the money at 3 p.m. on Monday but nobody has seen or heard from the brother in Mexico. The woman contacted police Sunday afternoon at 4:38 p.m.
The FBI is being called in to investigate.
The device was brought to the station at 946 a.m. by Gerald Baldwin, 43, of Modesto, believing it was a pipe bomb. He found the item at a rental home in Modesto. Officer Coey Henson told Baldwin to set it down on the grass in front of the police station.
The device was destroyed in the dumpster of the nearby library. Lt. Brent Smith said the device contained marijuana.
He advised citizens to never transport such a device, saying an actual bomb could go off while being moved a vehicle. Authorities say it's safer to leave suspicious devices without touching them, he said.
• MAN ARRESTED FOR STEALING BOOZE: CERES - Police arrested a man who fled Cost Less Foods on Hatch Road on Sunday, June 6, with a bottle of Vodka and a six-pack of pineapple juice.
A store security guard flagged down an officer at 10:58 a.m. and provided a description of the suspect. Moments later officer Dan Fairchild spotted Mike Mosley, 47, of Modesto, riding a bike at Sam and Nadine avenues with the goods. He was arrested for commercial burglary and theft with a prior conviction.
• SUSPECT ESCAPES OFFICER:CERES - Police are looking to arrest Ricardo Uribe, 29, of Modesto, after he outran an officer early Thursday, June 10.
At 2:43 a.m. Officer Jason Brock was on patrol when he saw a green 1996 Honda Accord driving eastbound on Moonlight Drive without headlights operating. Brock pulled the driver over. Uribe pulled into a driveway of a vacant residence on Sun Meadow Drive and fled on foot. Brock chased Uribe and at fired a Taser at him with only one dart striking the suspect.
During the chase Uribe dropped his cell phone which had a photo of him on it. Police also noted that the car was registered to Uribe. Inside the vehicle were a pair of bolt cutters and vehicle ignition keys, of which approximately 30 were shaved. Shaved keys are common tools used by auto thieves.
An arrest warrant has been sworn to pick up Uribe on charges of possession of burglary tools and resisting arrest.
• JUVENILES ARRESTED IN HOME INVASION ROBBERY: CERES - A 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were arrested Monday evening, June 14, after they allegedly participated in a home invasion robbery in the 2200 block of Calcagno Street.
At 9:07 p.m. an alert neighbor saw suspects running from the residence, some carrying out items. In front of the house was parked a gray Saturn parked with two Hispanic women sitting inside. The witness said a Hispanic man had jumped over the side yard fence and ran westbound on Calcagno. Two females were seen running from front door carrying items under their shirts and taking off eastbound on Calcagno. A second man ran out of front door carrying an item that resembled a handgun and ran eastbound. The Saturn then left, traveling eastbound.
When police arrived they were told that the intruders entered the house and ordered some youth to lie face down on the ground after showing a gun which later proved to be a B-B gun. The grandmother living on the property walked into the back door after noticing the power had been shut off and interrupted the robbery. One of the suspects, who was masked, informed her that she had a gun but she ordered everyone to leave.
Three of the six suspects were arrested shortly after the crime. They face charges of home invasion robbery.
• KIDNAPPING AND EXTORTION PLOT REVEALED: CERES - A Ceres woman called police Monday afternoon about a kidnapping and extortion plot involving her brother in Mexico.
The woman said she received a call on Saturday from someone saying that they had kidnapped her brother and demanded $2,500 ransom to be wired to them via Western Union. The kidnappers put the brother, Valenten Vargas, on the phone to speak to the sister. The woman wired the money at 3 p.m. on Monday but nobody has seen or heard from the brother in Mexico. The woman contacted police Sunday afternoon at 4:38 p.m.
The FBI is being called in to investigate.
