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Posts tagged: caught on tape
By DINESH RAMDE,Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin man whose camcorder was briefly stolen has found a way to get back at the suspected thief: He uploaded to YouTube a video that the suspect took with the camera, a clip in which the man reveals his name, shows his face and admits he stole the camera.
Chris Rochester, 25, of La Crosse, said his camera was stolen a few weeks ago from the car of his boss, Republican state Senate candidate Bill Feehan. Police eventually arrested the suspect and returned the camera to Rochester, who set it aside.
Then, when Gov. Scott Walker made a recent visit to La Crosse, Rochester used the camera to film the event. When he went back to retrieve the video, he found 20 other segments the suspect apparently recorded.
Most were uneventful, generally 15- to 20-second clips of television screens. But one video caught Rochester's eye.
“This is my house, yes, and a stolen camera that I stole. But it's OK, the cop won't figure it out,” the suspect says in the 79-second video, as he pans around a home and points out the kitchen and bathroom. Later he adds, “Oh yeah, to introduce you, my name is Houaka Yang. So yeah, how do you do.”
Finally, he turns the camera to reveal his face and says with a smile, “And this is me. Hi.”
The 20-year-old Yang was scheduled to make an initial appearance in court Wednesday, but the judge recused himself because he knew one of the victims. A new court date wasn't immediately scheduled.
Yang was charged with two counts of being party to misdemeanor theft and one misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon. The charges carry a maximum penalty of two years and three months in jail and a $30,000 fine.
A message left with Yang's public defender Wednesday was not immediately returned.
Rochester said he almost disregarded the videos on his camera, thinking maybe he'd accidentally hit the 'record' button.
“Then it hit me pretty quickly as to what it was,” he said. “I was astounded. I was like, 'Wow, I can't believe this.'”
Yang was already in custody, but Rochester decided to have fun with the video by sharing it with friends. So he uploaded it to YouTube under the title “Confessions of a stupid criminal: Thief is sure he won't get caught.”
As reporters began asking him about the video he began to realize it was more entertaining than he first thought, he said.
Police recovered the videocamera after investigating a number of other thefts in the area. Rochester said he didn't think Feehan had been targeted as a Republican political candidate.
Security videos at Feehan's home showed two suspects rifling through the car in his driveway. Investigators showed the footage to officials at a local high school, who identified one suspect, La Crosse police Sgt. Randy Rank said. The 14-year-old in turn identified Yang, he said.
Rank said police weren't concerned that Rochester uploaded the video even though Yang's case is still pending.
“It's his recorder, those are his images on there,” Rank said. “I don't see an issue with it.”
Coeur d'Alene police are asking for help identifying thieves who broke into storage units on North Atlas Road last month.
Employees at Coeur d'Alene Place Self Storage, 5850 N. Atlas Road., reported April 28 that several locks had been cut from storage units throughout the complex, police said today.
Survellance video shows three men in hooded sweatshirts and dark clothing walk through the proprety just before midnight. The men walked around until 4:30 a.m. and appear to cut locks with a bolt cutter on several occassions, according to police.
Employees beleive the thieves cut a chain link fence to acess the building. They discovered several RVs that had been damaged and burglarized.
A surveillence image of two of the thieves was released today.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at (208) 769-2320.
A man suspected of robbing four grocery stores in Spokane County was arrested Wednesday.
Daniel W. Drake, 38, reportedly admitted to robbing three Safeway stores and one Rosauers store in Spokane and 
Spokane Valley recently, according to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.
Drake is allegedly pictured fleeing the Safeway store on Wellesley Avenue after a robbery Monday.
Detectives received tips that helped them identify Drake within hours of the Sheriff's Office releasing that surveillance photo and others Tuesday.
Court documents show Drake's sister, father and mother told police they were positive the man pictured was Drake.
The Spokane police Patrol Anti-Crime Team assisted detectives from both agencies in locating Drake. They found him at a motel after nine hours of surveillance, then arrested him in the area of Argonne Road and Montgomery Avenue without incident.
Drake is accused of robbing Safeway at 14020 E. Sprague Ave., in Spokane Valley May 2, as well as the Shadle Park Safeway, 2507 W. Wellesley Ave., May 7.
The other robberies occurred April 29 at Safeway at 933 E. Mission Ave. in Spokane and the Rosaurers at 2610 E. 29th Ave. on May 7 about 2:30 p.m., just two hours before the Shadle Park robbery. No money was actually stolen in the Rosaurers case.
Drake is to appear in Spokane County Superior Court via video from the jail, where he's booked on four counts of second-degree robbery.
“The Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit has recently assigned a detective to investigate all robbery reports that are taken,” sheriff's spokesman Deputy Craig Chamberlin said in a news release. “The ability to assign a lead detective to these crimes has been, and will continue to be, imperative in solving these types of crimes and ensuring the safety of the citizens of Spokane County.”
Police believe the same man robbed two Safeway stores in the Spokane area recently, and they're asking for help identifying him.
Surveillance photos (above and below, left) released by the Spokane County Sheriff's Office today show the suspect at WalMart before detectives say he robbed the Safeway at 14020 E. Sprague Ave., in Spokane Valley on May 2.
Another photo (right) shows the robber just after he left the Shadle Park Safeway on Monday.
In the first robbery, a man described as white, in his 30s with short hair and a medium build placed a backpack at the customer service counter and ordered an employee to fill it with money. The victim was under the impression the man had a weapon in the bag, according to the sheriff's office.
Detectives located the man's discarded clothing and tracked them to a WalMart store where he's believed to have been before the robbery.
The same man is believed to have robbed the Safeway in the Shadle Park area, 2507 W. Wellesley Ave., about 2:30 p.m. Monday.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for tips that help identify the man. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit tips online.
Spokane police are trying to identity a person of interest in an attempted child luring.
The incident occurred April 11 at the Shadle Park WalMart on West Wellesley Avenue, police said today.
Anyone with information on the man's identity is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Coeur d'Alene police are asking for help identifying men believed to be responsible for thefts at local 
gymnasiums.
At least two gyms have reported at least four thefts since March 20 in which thieves walk into the gyms and help themselves to keys and wallets in the men's locker rooms, according to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.
They use the keys to prowl vehicles in the parking lot.
Surveillance video released today from 360 Fitness, 410 W. Neider Ave., on March 20 shows one of the suspected thieves.
Photos from video at Safeway in Liberty lake show two men believed to be connected to the use of a credit card stolen from Peak Fitness on April 16.
The men are driving a dark-colored compact car.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Coeur d'Alene Police Department at (208) 769-2320.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office is asking for help identifying two men involved in the vandalism of a Spokane Valley coffee shop.
Surveillance video shows two men walk in front of the Whistle Shop coffee stand in the 16900 block of East Sprague Avenue on April 2.
One of the men threw a large rock through a window, which smashed not only the window but destroyed a granita machine inside the coffee stand.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Spokane police today released surveillance photos of two possible suspects in a late-night assault in an alley last month that left two men unconscious.
The assailants were described as a man and a woman. The assault occurred Feb. 25 just after midnight in an alley behind Safeway near 4100 N. Regal St. One of the victims was hospitalized with cuts to his face, and both had numerous bruises, police said.
Witnesses told police the attackers may be near the Special K Tavern at 3817 N. Market St. Officers found two more victims at the bar who didn't notify authorities about their attack but were able to provide additional information on suspects.
The male attacker is described as white, 6-feet tall, 160 pounds, bald with short hair and an eyebrow piercing. He wore jeans and a gray t-shirt.
The female assailant was described as Native American, 21 to 30 years old, 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds with black should-length hair and facial tattoos.
They were last seen walking toward the Safeway at 3919 N. Market St. The photos released today are from surveillance video at the store before the assault.
Anyone with information on their identities is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Police are again looking for tips on the theft of Nook tablets from the Spokane Valley Barnes and Noble, this time for a break-in early March 5.
Officers responded to an alarm at the store, 15310 E. Indiana Ave., at 5:52 a.m. and found a tire iron on the ground next to the shattered window. They believe the burglary targeted the Nook kiosk because cash registers and other merchandise appeared to be untouched, according to the Spokane Valley Police Department.
Surveillance video released Tuesday shows the thief wearing possibly a heavy fleece jacket with a white North Face logo on he left front chest and on the back right shoulder.
He also wore what appears to be dark blue jeans and dark shoes with a bright red logo on the heel, as well as a tan baseball hat with a light green bill and a blue and black backpack.
Police also are looking for tips on possible suspects in the theft of Nook tablets from the same store March 4.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Property crime detectives are asking for help identifying two men who may have information about electronic “Nook” readin
g tablets stolen from the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Spokane Valley last week. 
Th
e theft occurred March 4 just before 6 p.m.
The Spokane Valley Police Department today released surveillance photos of the men in hopes someone will recognize them.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
A tip to Crime Check helped police identify a suspect in a burglary at the East Valley School District maintenance office recently. 
Christopher David Evans, 29, was arrested today by East Valley School Resource Officer Scott Streltzoff for the Jan. 27 burglary, according to the Spokane Valley Police Department.
Police released a surveillance photo of the thief Feb. 8 in hopes someone would recognize him. Acting on the tip, Streltzoff spoke with a friend of Evans' last Friday about the location of the stolen tools, valued at $300.
Later that Friday, someone concealing their identity with a hooded sweatshirt returned the tools to the front porch of the maintenance building.
Evans was booked into jail about 2:30 p.m. on charges of second-degree burglary and first-degree trafficking in stolen property.
The East Valley School District thanks everyone for their help.
Spokane police today released a surveillance photo of a robbery last week at a Browne's Addition convenience store in hopes someone will recognize the gunman.
The robbery was reported about 11:49 p.m. Feb. 29 at the Sunset Grocery, 1908 W. Sunset Blvd.
The gunman is described as 20 to 22 years old, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-7 and 150 to 160 pounds. He wore a black knit ski mask, dark hooded sweatshirt, black coat, dark loose pants and black and white athletic shoes. The gun is described as a black semi-automatic pistol.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for tips that lead to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-222-TIPS or submit tips online.
Spokane Valley police are trying to identify two men who stole tools from the East Valley School District.
Surveillance photos released today show one of the thieves in the maintenance yard in the 18000 block of East Euclid Avenue on Jan. 27.
Police say the thieves entered a fenced area and stole about $300 worth of tools.
Anyone with information on a suspect is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Spokane police are asking for helping identifying two men who assaulted a store clerk and stole a 20-pack of beer early Monday. 
The men assaulted the clerk at Chevron Food Mart, 1703 E. Francis Ave., after he confronted them for stealing the beer about 12:25 a.m., police said today.
The robbers ran west on Francis. The men are described as possibly Hispanic, in their late teens with slight builds. One wore a red jacket, black baseball hat and jeans; the other wore a gray hooded-sweatshirt, dark jacket and jeans.
Police released surveillance images and video of the heist today.
Anyone with information on the men's identities is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Spokane police are asking for help identifying a man accused of holding a knife to a Safeway employee's throat. 
The employee approached the man about stealing items from the store at 2507 W. Wellesley Ave. when he was attacked Jan. 4 about 4:30 p.m., police said today.
The thief threatened to slit the employee's throat and fled on a bicycle with a pocket knife in his hand, police say
The victim described the man as in his late 30s and wearing a dark beanie, button-up flannel shirt and grayish tan Carhartt jacket.
Police released a surveillance photo of the man today.
Anyone with information on his identity is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Coeur d'Alene police are trying to identify a woman suspected of stealing Botox treatments from a dermatology office.
The woman had $1,705 worth of Botox and Juvederm procedures done on Dec. 6 at North Idaho Dermatology, 2288 North Merrit Creek Loop. She began writing a check to pay but said her checkbook wouldn't work and she needed to get another one, but she never returned, police say.
The woman made the appointment using the name Louise Green and provided two addresses in Post Falls. Neither has checked out, police say.
The woman told employees she'd recently moved to the area from Seattle and had a referral note from a doctor in Pocatello.
Police released two surveillence photots of the woman today in hopes someone will recognize her and come forward.
Anyone with information on her identity is asked to call (208) 769-2320.
Spokane County sheriff's detectives are asking for help identifying a woman pictured in these store surveillance photos.
Police believe the same woman on Nov. 21 used a passport stolen in a vehicle prowling to pawn two rifles stolen in a burglary on Nov. 20.
Anyone with information on the woman's identity is asked to call sheriff's Detective Dan Spivey at (509) 477-6376 or Spokane police Detective Lonnie Tofsrud at (509) 625-4221.
The Spokane Police Department is asking for assistance identifying a suspect in the recent South Hill residential burglaries.
At least ten burglaries took place over the course of the three days leading up to Nov. 25. The homes were within the 2100 block to the 3700 block of South Manito Boulevard.
Purses were the most common item stolen, police said, and the burglaries occurred while residents were asleep.
Anyone with information regarding the burglaries or who feels they may have been a victim should call Crime Check at 456-2233.
Spokane International Airport police are seeking information regarding the identity of a woman in connection with a missing carry-on bag.
The pictured woman is not a suspect at this time, said Todd Woodard, director of public relations, and she could have picked up the bag by accident.
However, airport police would like to question her about the bag, which was reported missing by a customer about 10:30 p.m. Nov. 26.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of the woman shown in the photo is asked to contact the Airport Police Department at 455-6429.
Last month, police arrested three people on suspicion of stealing seven bags from the baggage claim area. Woodard said baggage theft is rare and that it was the first case in at least 10 years.
Police are asking for help identifying two people sought for questioning about an assault in downtown Spokane last month.
A surveillance image released today shows the man and woman, who police describe as “persons of interest” in a fight between two men in the area of North Howard Street and West Riverside Avenue Oct. 18 at 10:20 p.m. The victim suffered significant injuries, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Reporter Meghann Cuniff writes about public safety news from the Inland Northwest and beyond.
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