Crime Time

'Sandwich shop burglar' headed back to prison

A sandwich shop burglar convicted of breaking into almost three dozen fast-food businesses will now have his meals in prison.

Rodney James Ricketts, 36, of Pasadena, was convicted Tuesday of theft, and then sentenced him to 49 years in prison.

Authorities called him a professional safe-cracker and serial burglar. During the trial, jurors learned how he broke into dozens of businesses, many of them Subway restaurants, in North Texas, the Houston area and North Carolina.

And he already has a prison record.

Domingo Ramirez Jr. covered this case since Ricketts' 2011 arrest in Bedford. Domingo also wrote about the trial. Here's his report.

-- Bill Miller

 

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/05/08/4835569/subway-burglar-sentenced-to-49.html#storylink=cpy

Dog killed in burglary south of Weatherford

Much more than personal belongs were lost Tuesday in a break-in south of Weatherford.

Whoever burgled the home in the 300 block of Harmony Circle also killed the family’s pet pit bull, 11-year-old Moline.

She was found in the living room with a gunshot wound to the head.

"Moline’s death is an outrage," said Sheriff Larry Fowler, who vowed to double the $1,000 reward, offered for information in the case.

Tom Soap told investigators that he came to visit his mother and found the front door open, according to a news release from Fowler’s office.

The house was in disarray with overturned beds, drawers rummaged through, and various items strewn about several rooms.

Soap said someone took a pillow case from one of the bedrooms and filled it with jewelry and other items, but left it inside the garage.

Other missing items, however, included a .22-caliber rifle, a nail gun, knives, and an impact drill.

But the loss of Moline hurts the most.

"She was a family member," Soap said.

If caught, whoever did this could face charges of burglary of a habitation, a second-degree felony, and cruelty to non-livestock animals/torture, a state jail felony, according to the news release.

The $1,000 reward, before Fowler’s contribution, will be paid from the Parker County Sheriff’s Animal Cruelty reward fund, the news release stated.

Anyone with information can call the sheriff’s office at 817-594-8845, or Parker County Crime Stoppers at 817-599-5555. Callers to the tip line can remain anonymous.

— Bill Miller

Businessman with shotgun peppers two suspected burglars in Grand Prairie

On Wednesday, we reported that a man was shot in the left leg as he ran from a would-be carjacker at a Grand Prairie apartment complex.

Gunfire sounded again Thursday in Grand Prairie when a business owner found two men outside his building.

He told police the two men were breaking into his vehicle, so he opened fire with a shotgun, sending both to the hospital.

The incident was reported 6:33 a.m. Thursday in the 2300 block of Fort Worth Street on the city’s northwest side. The area is southwest of the intersection of Interstate 30 and the President George Bush Turnpike.

"The first officers to arrive found two subjects that had gunshot wounds near a burglarized vehicle," said Detective Lyle Gensler, police spokesman, in a news release. "Those two suspects were immediately transported to Dallas Methodist Hospital with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Gensler said the business owner said he had heard noises outside; he grabbed a shotgun and went to investigate.

"(He) walked outside to discover that his vehicle was being broken into," Gensler said.

That’s when he opened fire.

"The shooting, as well as the burglary, are currently still under investigation," Gensler said.

-- Bill Miller

 

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/02/27/4649413/dfw-briefs-man-is-shot-during.html#storylink=cpy

Keller teen, wounded in bizarre shooting last October, is back in jail

For a 17-year-old kid, Joseph Ross has been in the news a lot these past four months.

Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports that the Keller teen, who was awaiting trial on a burglary charge after being shot in a bizarre run-in with Fort Worth police last fall, was back in jail Wednesday.

This time, Ross and two other teens are accused of burglarizing a Keller home on Jan. 25. Police say they took about $15,000 worth of jewelry and electronics. Ross was arrested at his Keller home on Tuesday.

But you might remember him from the earlier case last October in north Fort Worth. Police said he and another teen broke into a home in the 10000 block of Tulare Lane.

Two Fort Worth patrol units arrived as the duo was heading toward a compact car to flee.

But, as one of the officers pursued the pair on foot, a 31-year-old civilian participating in the department's ridealong program jumped from the patrol car and ran toward one of the suspects, who was getting into the car.

A 55-year-old neighbor with a .45-caliber handgun stepped into the street and fired at the suspects, wounding Ross and his buddy.

Remember now?

Read more in Domingo's report.

Grand Prairie police seek help to catch burglars

(Editor's note: Typo has been corrected in fourth paragraph.)

Police in Grand Prairie want the public's help catchings some burglars.

Here's a press release from Lyle Gensler, the police department's spokesman:

"On Wednesday, Jan. 9, two residential burglaries occurred near the 1700 blockof Hidden Brook, Grand Prairie.

"A witness actually saw the suspects walking down the street, then a short time later saw one running with stolen property in his arms. The suspects ran to an older model Mercedes four-door.

"Any assistance in identifying these suspects would be appreciated."

Anyone with information can call Gensler at 972-237-8790.

-- Bill Miller

 

School for special needs kids in Fort Worth burglarized repeatedly

Students of Wedgwood Academy returning from holiday break on Tuesday will notice ongoing repairs from burglaries over the past month that resulted in the theft of computer equipment and medications, including Ritalin.

Rachel Wittich, director, said Monday that the burglaries began Dec. 9; the latest was reported Sunday.

The school for 85 special needs children, 4833 Selkirk Drive, leases space in the youth annex of nearby Southcliff Baptist Church. Security measures, including patrols by a private company, have been stepped up. Police, according to reports, are investigating.

Wittich said the burglars "struck four total times — three to the school and then last night they went to the main church building."

"It’s crazy. It’s awful," she added. "And we’re just scared about when they’re coming back and what they’ll take next.

"I mean, what kind of people steals from a special needs school and then turns around and does it to a church?"

Wittich said surveillance images show what appear to be the same five burglars breaking into the school on Dec. 9, New Year’s Day, late afternoon Saturday and then the church overnight Sunday.

On Dec. 9, the burglars were in the building only 40 minutes, but they made off with all the medication that was stored for the students, including Ritalin, which is used to treat students with attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity.

On the street, however, this drug "has a high potential for abuse" and "produces many of the same effects as cocaine or the amphetamines," according to a fact sheet from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

"They got a lot of it," Wittich said.

On the New Year’s Day break-in, "it appeared they were in the building at least four hours or longer," according to a police report.

The burglars took laptops and iPads used by the students, Wittich said

In the burglary reported Sunday, they stole six microphones and a TV from the church, according to a police report.

The burglars break windows and bash in doors, and the strength needed to do that scares Wittich.

"I’ve seen the destruction they’re capable of and I’m tried of being scared," she said. "I want my sense of security back. I want to know I won’t walk in on someone who is that strong.

"This is supposed to be a safe place for children."

-- Bill Miller

Police say man, 21, shot while breaking into home in Grand Prairie

A man suspected of burglary was in critical condition late Tuesday after he was shot by a resident in south Grand Prairie, police said.

Gilberto Balderas, 21, was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth following the shooting in the 2000 block of Clark Trail, police said.

The resident called 911 at 2:29 p.m. to say someone was breaking into the home and that he was armed with a handgun. A moment later, while still on the phone, the man said the intruder came at him with a knife and that he shot him.

Officers arrived and found Balderas on the floor with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

"Near the suspect was a knife," said Det. Lyle Gensler, police spokesman, in a news release. "The suspect was treated and transported by helicopter to John Peter Smith Hospital where he was taken into surgery and is listed in critical condition."

Gensler said the resident was interviewed at the scene.

"This appears to be a justified shooting," he said, "but the case will be presented to the grand jury as is proper procedure in these types of incidents."

He also noted that "the suspect will be charged with burglary of a residence."

— Bill Miller

Fort Worth police believe they've caught suspects in recent Ryan Place burglaries

We’re hoping to get some more information on this, but for now we can tell you that Fort Worth police believe they’ve cracked a series of burglaries in the historic south-side neighborhood, Ryan Place.

According to the department’s Facebook page, officers on Thursday responded to a break-in at a College Avenue home that also was burgled last week.

"When the officers split up to canvass the area, one officer heard a dog barking aggressively at a vehicle, with two male occupants, parked in a driveway nearby," police said in the Facebook post.

One man was arrested for possession of heroin, some codeine liquid and "a large amount of drug paraphernalia," police said.

"That suspect later confessed to at least one burglary on College," police said in the post. "It is believed that he and his partner are actors in the rest of the Ryan Place burglaries."

We’ll forward more information when it’s available.

-- Bill Miller

For Worth business owner frustrated over alarm permit issue

Leroy Reber early Sunday pulled up a video feed from security cameras where he could see the burglar walking around the outside of his business at 1809 W. Berry St. in fort Worth.

He called police but was told they couldn't respond because he had failed to pay his $50 annual alarm permit fee for the store which sells wholesale security equipment.

"I told them someone was there at that moment committing a crime and they still said 'no,'" Reber said.

While it is the policy of police to respond only to businesses that have paid alarm permit fees, Maj. Paul Henderson tweeted Monday morning that police were investigating the situation.

"Obviously we are looking into this," Henderson said.

Read more in Bill Hanna's report.

'Ride-In' citizen acted on his own to chase suspected burglar in north Fort Worth, police say

Two suspected burglars were identified Friday following an incident in which they were wounded by a citizen in north Fort Worth.

They are Joseph Michael Ross (shown here) and Levi Gouge, both 17.

The bizarre incident Thursday afternoon involved a run-in with police, and a civilian who was riding with officers.

The neighbor said he shot at the suspects because he thought he was witnessing a life-threating situation for the officers and the citizen who was chasing a suspect.

But on Friday, Major Paul Henderson, a police spokesman, said the "Ride-In" citizen acted on his own, not at the request of an officer.

Civilian observers of police patrols are given written instructions not to get involved in an incident unless specifically asked by an officer, in accordance with state law.

But, Henderson added, the officer "never told him to get out of the car and didn't summon his aid. He took it upon himself."

Henderson said the department doesn't recommend citizens get involved in "those kind of confrontations or get involved in any police actions unless absolutely necessary because it's life-threatening."

Read more in Deanna Boyd's report.