Dynamic Teamwork SCFD, SCPD & SCSO Leads to Return Of Stolen Property And Arrest!

On Saturday, June 24, 2017, Santa Cruz Police, Santa Cruz Fire, and Santa Cruz Sheriffs combined forces to make an arrest and return approximately $5,000 worth of stolen property to Tepui Tents.

It all began with a Santa Cruz Firefighter who observed a trio of suspicious individuals with brand new camping gear that did not appear to belong to them. This firefighter recognized the high-end outdoor clothing and products. The sharp-eyed firefighter took the above photo and called SCPD. That unique brand of equipment came from a Tepui Tents store in Soquel that reported two burglaries in the last week.

The suspicious circumstance promptly relayed to SCPD set into motion an investigation that led to an arrest and returned property. Santa Cruz Police responded and detained the three suspects. Information gathered from the suspects at the scene led officers to contact a fourth suspect who had sold them the gear.

The fourth subject possessed even more of the stolen goods. Since the burglary initially occurred in the Santa Cruz Sheriff's jurisdiction, the quick-thinking SCPD officers contacted SCSO and the owner of the store to identify the stolen merchandise.

Teamwork resulted in the owner getting over $5,000 of stolen merchandise returned. Working together brings tangible benefits to our community. #SantaCruzFire #SantaCruzCountySheriff #SantaCruzPolice

SCPD arrested and booked John Thompson, 39, from Santa Cruz, for felony possession of stolen property. California's receiving stolen property law, Penal Code 496, makes it a crime to buy, receive, conceal, sell, or withhold from the owner, any property that they know has been stolen.

The Santa Cruz Police Department continues to encourage community members to be partners in public safety. Please continue to contact SCPD when suspicious activity occurs in your neighborhood. Call 9-1-1, Anonymous Tip Line (831) 420-5995 or send us a tip online.

SCPD Arrest Two Suspects for Drugs & Stolen Property -Thanks to Alert Citizen!

On Friday 3/18/16, at approximately 10:05 am, an alert citizen called 911 to report a suspicious person sitting in a white Mazda Miata in the 200 block of First Street. The concerned citizen suspected drug activity was occurring when two women approached the car and made a “hand to hand” transaction. One of the women in the suspected drug interaction was described as wearing hospital scrubs.

Tilden Ball, 31 years old, transient from Santa Cruz 

Responding SCPD Officers arrived and contacted the occupant in the car, Tilden Ball. Mr. Ball who was sitting in the driver’s seat said that the car belonged to friend. He claimed to be waiting for her return. As it turns out, Tilden Ball, 31 years old, transient from Santa Cruz had a parole hold warrant for his arrest. Tilden Ball had multiple knives and methamphetamine on his person when SCPD Officers detained him.

Photo of some of the  drugs, drug paraphernalia, and suspected stolen credit cards including an embosser machine used to alter credit/debit cards.

SCPD Officers searched the car and located 100’s of syringes, drug paraphernalia, checks, credit cards, gift cards and other stolen or forged property. Officers also discovered an embosser machine used to alter and manufacturer credit cards in the car.

Elizabeth Escamilla, 30 years old from Watsonville 

While SCPD Officers were searching the car, Elizabeth Escamilla approached them and stated the Mazda Miata was her car. Elizabeth Escamilla, 30 years old from Watsonville was wearing hospital scrubs that matched the description given in the initial report to the police. SCPD Officers found in the car numerous articles of evidence that link together Tilden Ball and Elizabeth Escamilla. 

A large amount of suspected stolen property including mail, passports, drivers licenses, checks, credit/debit cards, credit card making devices, drugs, and drug paraphernalia were located and collected from the car. SCPD Detectives are currently working on sorting through the evidence to identify a number of victims.

Tilden Ball and Elizabeth Escamilla were arrested for multiple charges including a parole hold, forgery, fraud, possession of stolen property, possession of narcotics, paraphernalia and conspiracy to commit a crime. Ms. Escamilla's car was impounded.

Thank you to the alert citizen for watching out for their neighborhood & calling 911.

The Santa Cruz Police Department continues to encourage residents to be partners in public safety. Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Santa Cruz Police Department at (831) 420-5820 or Anonymous Tip Line (831) 420-5995.

Stolen iPad Leads SCPD to Arrest in Home Burglary Case & Fencing Operation

Two suspects who fenced thousands of dollars worth of stolen items including electronics, high-end bikes and jewelry were arrested by Santa Cruz Police. A stolen iPad led Officers directly to the 76 Gas Station on Mission Street and Walnut Avenue where the fencing operation was discovered.

On Friday, January 16, 2016, at about 1:30 p.m., the Santa Cruz Police Department received a call from the victim of a residential burglary who believed he had located his stolen iPad. The victim activated the "Find My iPhone" app and was able to trace his iPad to a location near the corner of Mission Street and Walnut Avenue.

An SCPD patrol officer met with the victim and confirmed that the app signal was emanating from inside the 76 Gas Station at 904 Mission Street. The Officer gave instructions to the victim to sound the alarm on the iPad when the officer was inside the gas station.

While the Officer was speaking with the store manager and an employee standing behind the counter, the iPad alarm sounded. Initially, both suspects claimed not to hear it and tried to ignore the alarm. The stolen iPad was located inside a bag on the counter next to station manager Felipe Chavez and employee Angel Guzman. The bag contained two iPads.

Felipe Chavez, 46 from San Jose

The 76 Gas Station manager is Felipe Chavez, 46 years old from San Jose. Chavez claimed that he had found the bag outside the business in the bushes. Officers continued to investigate and eventually searched Chavez’s truck parked at the business. That search resulted in additional stolen items seized from Chavez. Those items included property stolen from the victim.

Angel Guzman, 19 from Watsonville

The gas station employee is Angel Guzman, 19 years old from Watsonville. During the investigation, Officers also searched Guzman’s car parked at the business. Like Chavez, Guzman also had additional items believed to be stolen in his car.

As the investigation continued, Officers discovered a backroom at the business that contained additional property also believed to be stolen. This property consisted of high-end bicycles and construction tools. Based on this discovery, the business was closed and secured as detectives were called in and a search warrant was obtained.

Mr. Chavez, the 76 station manager, resides in San Jose and is the domestic partner of the business owner. Detectives conducted a search of their home on Flinthaven Drive in San Jose. During this search, Detectives seized 19 mid to high-end bicycles, jewelry and electronics. Detectives have been successful in matching a number of items with property stolen in burglaries throughout Santa Cruz. So far, over $10,000 in stolen property has been matched to previous burglary cases. Detectives believe stolen items were likely traded for goods or resold at the gas station. They may have also off loaded the stolen products at flea markets in the Bay Area.

The investigation found that the suspects are involved in the ongoing distribution of stolen property, also known as a fencing operation. Felipe Chavez was arrested for receiving and possession of stolen property. Angel Guzman was arrested for conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of stolen property.

SCPD Investigative team believes the stolen property came from home and auto break-ins in Santa Cruz and the San Jose area. Police believe that the arrested suspects are part of a larger theft and stolen property operation, and our investigation continues.

SCPD encourages people to enable such security features in their portable electronic devices whenever possible, and to familiarize themselves with how to use them. If your portable electronic device is stolen or lost and you are using a remote application to track its location, notify your local law enforcement agency immediately and do not take independent action to attempt to recover your property.

Anyone with information relative to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Santa Cruz Police Department Investigation Unit at (831) 420-5820. 

"Find My Phone" app Leads to Red-Handed Arrest of Thief

In our “Interesting Call of the Week” Category, we have this:

Yesterday a couple parked their truck on Harvey West Blvd to watch a little Pop Warner Football.  When they returned back home, they realized a wallet and a cell phone had been taken from their truck.  

Using their “Find My Phone” app, they were able to track movement of the phone.  They tracked the movement of the phone from downtown to the Homeless Services Center at 115 Coral Street.  At this point they called the police.  When Officer Fincutter arrived, the victim rode with her as they tracked the phone across the pedestrian footbridge over the San Lorenzo River to Felker Street.  Down Felker Street to Ferrell’s Donuts on Ocean Street. 

The victim was able to send an “alert” to her phone, when out of Ferrell’s Donuts comes or suspect with a donut and cup of coffee in hand….and a phone beeping in his pocket that he can’t shut off. 

OK, OK let’s take a minute for you to get all the "cops at the donut shop" jokes out of your mind…. :-)

 

Our suspect is arrested red-handed with the victim’s phone and credit cards from the stolen wallet.  A further search found burglary tools, cocaine and heroin on our suspect.  We also located this watch. 

If you recognize the watch and it belongs to you, please contact our investigations unit at (831) 420-5820 to provide proof of ownership and make a report of the stolen property. 

Here is our suspect

This is Dennis Allen Ballard, 45 years old.  He lists his address as "transient" or "115 Coral Street".

Mr. Ballard has an extensive history of arrests including drug and trespassing charges.  In fact, this year alone he has been arrested by our officers 8 times.  He is on active probation 4x over for his past arrests. 

Great Patrol Work Leads to Arrest For Stolen Property

Great Work by Officers Karina Ceceña and Alec Ganzel

At 5:05 PM on May 28, 2013, Officer Karina Ceceña responded to the Days Inn 600 Riverside Ave, for a report of a theft. She contacted the victim who owns a construction company.  The victim parked his work truck in the parking lot of the motel sometime after midnight. When the victim went to leave for work later in the morning, he discovered his $600 “Chop Saw” was missing.  Officer Ceceña was able to view surveillance footage from early morning and saw a truck pull in and park next to the victim’s vehicle. 

A male from the truck got out of the truck, put on a yellow construction helmet and then climbed into the bed of the victim’s truck, stealing the saw.  At about 9:00 PM, Officers Alec Ganzel and Karina Ceceña were sharing case information about a similar vehicle involved in an unrelated case.  

Officers Ganzel and Ceceña connected the information and located the suspect’s truck parked in the area of Branciforte Avenue and Belvedere Terrace with the doors open and two people standing in the immediate area.

One of those persons, Kyle Franks, matched the overall description from the surveillance footage and a yellow construction hat was located inside his vehicle.  In the vehicle’s bed was the stolen “Chop Saw”.  

Mr. Franks was taken into custody for Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Heroin and Theft.  His bail was enhanced because he was out of custody on Court “Own Recognizance” release at the time of this new offense, 12022.1(b) PC.   Mr. Franks has a significant history of arrest for theft and drug related offenses dating back to 2000.  If you see his truck in your neighborhood, take note!

Arrested:  Kyle Wyatt Franks – 27 yrs,  Felton Resident

Suspect Vehicle = 2007 White Chevy Truck License# 8F41471