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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Thermal imager helps nab suspect

CHENEY – Cheney police used a thermal imaging device to help arrest a man May 7 who is suspected of stealing a Cat 950 B articulated front loader from a construction site at 142 S. Cheney Spangle Road.

Jake P. Branch, 24, has been booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of theft of a motor vehicle.

Sgt. William Benner was on routine patrol around 1:30 a.m. May 7, waiting for a train to pass through a railroad crossing, when he spotted some activity in the construction site of Campus Crest.

When he arrived at Campus Crest he noticed fresh, muddy tire tracks leaving the area and followed them.

About three miles from the city, Benner lost sight of the tracks and used a thermal imager recently purchased by the department.

Benner found the vehicle traveling down Curtis Road. When he approached the Cat, he noticed a green and white Ford pickup truck following the Cat closely. When the sergeant attempted to stop both the pickup and the Cat, the pickup sped away.

The Cat is valued at $250,000.

The case is still under investigation and police are still looking for the driver of the pickup.

Here’s roundup of police activity for the week of May 1-8:

May 1

•A 17-year-old female was arrested for suspicion of domestic violence assault stemming from an incident on April 30 at the 200 block of Pine Street.

May 2

•A 16-year-old male was returned to his home in Spokane after being reported as a runaway. He was picked up at the 900 block of First Street.

May 3

•Andrew R. Litchfield, 18, was arrested under the charges of malicious mischief at the 500 block of First Street. Litchfield is accused of spray painting the walls inside a bus shelter.

•Police responded to a call of domestic violence at the 1100 block of Golden Hills. The incident was verbal only.

•There was a report of malicious mischief at the 800 block of Salnave. There was some damage to bird feeders in the area.

•Police responded to a report of vehicle prowling at the 600 block of “G” Street. A car was entered and there was some damage to it, but nothing was stolen.

•There was an incident of suspicious circumstances at the 100 block of Walker that could be classified as attempted theft. A cover from a boat was removed.

•An Idaho state license plate was found at the 2400 block of First Street.

•Three people were arrested in an incident involving vehicle prowling at the 1300 block of First Street.

Ronald L. Ricci, 18 was arrested for suspicion of being a minor in possession of alcohol and vehicle prowling. Rebecca D. Flanagan, 42, was arrested under the charge of possession of stolen property and a 16-year-old male was arrested under the charge of theft from a motor vehicle.

•Samuel G. Ward, 23, was arrested under the charge of driving with a suspended license at the 1100 block of First Street.

•Police responded to a residential burglary at the 000 block of West Third Street. A car stereo was reported stolen.

May 5

•There was a report of an assault at the 1000 block of First Street.

•Police responded to a malicious mischief report at the 200 block of West First Street. A fence was damaged during the incident.

•Nathan L. Koerner, 31, was arrested under the charge of driving with a suspended license at the 900 block of First Street.

•A 16-year-old female was arrested under the charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol at the 2200 block of First Street.

•There was a loud party reported at the 100 block of Fourth Street. The case has been sent to the prosecutor.

•A case of beer was reported stolen at the 1100 block of First Street.

May 6

•Police officers arrested three people in connection with a report of malicious mischief at the 400 block of First Street. Some of the permanently mounted garbage cans that line First Street were lifted up off the ground. Tony R. Moore, 24, Brett D. Guske, 23, and Reginald C. Anderson, 27, were arrested and Anderson was also charged with obstructing officers and giving a false and misleading statement to an officer.

•There was a report of malicious mischief at the 100 block of College Street. Someone threw a bottle through a window.

•A car hit an unattended vehicle at the 300 block of College Street.

•A car stereo was stolen from a vehicle at the 2300 block of First Street.

•Police responded to a report of forgery at the 400 block of Leinum Court. There were some unauthorized charges on a credit card.

•An aggressive dog was reported at the 1000 block of Third Street. The owner of the dog was issued an infraction and was given some restrictions to follow in order to keep the dog.

•There was a report of malicious mischief at the 2800 block of Al Ogdon. There was some graffiti found in the area.

May 7

•Under “all cases not classified,” police responded to a report of fraud. A check was received in the mail that was part of a larger scam.

•Someone scraped a vehicle with a key at the 800 block of Sixth Street.

May 8

•A 13-year-old male was arrested under the charge of assault at Cheney Middle School.

•Some graffiti was reported to police at the 500 block of First Street.