Mead High Building Project Hit By Thieves Again

The Mead High School building project was recently hit by tool thieves again. It is at least the second time the site at 302 W. Hastings has been burglarized, said Spokane County sheriff’s spokesman Dave Reagan.

Sometime between July 10 at 5:30 p.m. and July 12 at 7 a.m., Aztec Electric became the victim of a tool heist. All the company’s small tools were kept locked in its Job box in the school gym. On July 12, an Aztec employee found the lock picked and almost $2,000 worth of power tools missing, Reagan said.

Two Dewalt power hammers ($900), four smaller Dewalt power hammers ($300), two Dewalt drills ($125), an industrial Dewalt drill ($250), a Dewalt power saw ($200) and four Makita drills with chargers ($125) were reported stolen, Reagan said.

All the Dewalt tools are yellow and engraved with the Aztec name in red stenciling. The Makita tools are blue with the same stenciling.

People are advised to be aware of good deals they may come across on power tools at yard sales. Check for engraving, as the tools may be stolen, Reagan said.

Stolen wallet returned plus charges

A man who left his wallet in his parked car got it back Friday night, but not before the thief charged hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise on his credit cards.

Police received a call from an area hospital that a man was trying to use a credit card that did not belong to him. When officers arrived, they interviewed a man who was identified as 45-year-old Leslie J. Dutt, a transient, said police spokesman Dick Cottam.

Dutt had a driver’s license and other identification that belonged to someone else, Cottam said. Hospital security called the residence listed for the name on the cards and learned the resident reported his wallet stolen on June 30.

Police found a receipt from Montgomery Ward listing more than $270 worth of purchases made with the stolen card. The store also had a security videotape of Dutt making charge transactions with the card, Cottam said. Dutt also allegedly filled out a credit card application at Ward’s in the victim’s name, Cottam said. It’s not known if Dutt used the card in other ways during the two weeks they were missing.

Police remind citizens not to leave any personal identification, checkbooks, cards, wallets or purses in a car, even if they’re in a glove box.

Dutt was booked into jail on charges of identity theft and forgery, both felonies.

Pizza lover jailed

A man ordered more than $30 worth of food from Godfather’s Pizza for an address on West Broadway July 12, and paid for it with a stolen and forged check.

The pizza company discovered the check was fraudulent, then received another call July 13 from the same man. This time Godfather’s employees asked police to help with the delivery of pizza, hot wings and a soft drink, Cottam said.

An undercover detective took the order, again for more than $30, to the residence at 2414 W. Broadway. When the pizza fan paid with another forged check, he was immediately handcuffed.

Edward G. Cassidy, 36, was booked into jail on two counts of felony forgery, Cottam said. He received none of the second pizza.

Heed pedestrian’s right of way

Police Traffic Unit officers have been busy reminding motorists to stop for pedestrians at Northwest Boulevard and Belt, and North Division and Wabash.

An officer dressed in civilian clothes posed as a pedestrian and attempted to cross the streets while motorcycle officers watched and videotape the action.

Most drivers slow and permit the “civilian” to cross at the intersection, Cottam said. Some, however, simply ignore the pedestrian and zip by. Six motorcycle officers gave citations for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The ticket carries a $71 fine.

Police will continue the program on a weekly basis. They are trying to remind motorists of the laws, which give pedestrians the right of way at intersections whether they are marked or unmarked crossings. Pedestrians, though, are not supposed to cross at any point other than an intersection.