Police Beat: Tempe man arrested on suspicion of criminal damage

 by Allison Denny
 published on Friday, March 28, 2008

Tempe Police reported the following incidents Thursday:

• A 48-year-old Tempe man was arrested on the 5600 block of South Wilson Street Thursday afternoon on suspicion of criminal damage, according to police reports.
  
  An officer saw the man throw a propane tank from his backyard at an extermination truck in operation at a nearby construction site, police reported.
  
  According to the police report, the man then threw about 20 golf balls at the vehicle, breaking its windshield.
  
  The officer then witnessed the man enter the construction site, where he drove the vehicle into the freshly laid foundation of a building, breaking the vehicle's compressors and line values, according to the police report.
  
  Police reported the damage amounted to $10,000.
  
  The man was arrested on one count of criminal damage and was booked in the Tempe City Jail.
  
  
• A 26-year-old Tempe man was arrested in Phoenix Thursday afternoon on the 2000 block of South 50th Street on suspicion of forgery.
  
  A police investigation revealed he presented a fraudulent check at a fitness and home superstore on the 1600 block of West Elliot Road, according to police the report.
  
  Police reported that the man attempted to purchase more than $3,500 worth of athletic equipment.
  
  He admitted to being offered $200 to pass the fraudulent check, according to the police report.
  
  He was taken to Tempe City Jail and booked on one count of forgery, police reported.
  
  
• A 35-year-old Tempe man was arrested Thursday afternoon on suspicion of shoplifting after a backpack search revealed stolen medical supplies, according to the police report.
  
  The man concealed $10 worth of medical gauze and tape at a store on the 1300 block of West Elliot Road, police reported.
  
  The man's backpack also contained two glass and two plastic drug pipes, according to the police report.
  
  Police reported that the man had a felony warrant for his arrest on a probation violation for previous narcotic equipment possession.
  
  He was taken to Tempe City Jail and booked on one count of shoplifting, four counts of drug paraphernalia and one count of probation violation.
  
  
• A 21-year-old Tempe man was arrested on suspicion of two counts of trafficking stolen property Wednesday night on the 2000 block of East Cedar Street, according to police reports.
  
  Police reported that the man sold an undercover officer a stolen motorcycle for $700. The vehicle was concerned stolen on the scene, according to the police report.
  
  An arrangement was also made to sell a second confirmed stolen motorcycle for $650, police reported.
  
  The man was arrested and booked into Tempe City Jail.

• ASU Police are looking for an unknown suspect who stole $500 in equipment from a car parked in Lot 59E Wednesday afternoon.
  
  Police reported the victim returned to the lot to find a man beneath the driver side of his vehicle and the truck's catalytic converter, a device used to reduce toxic engine emissions, missing.
  
  The suspect then took off in a brown Buick, with license plate No. 829TKX, police said.
  
  He is described as a 20-year-old white man with red or blonde hair, 5-feet-8-inches tall and 140 to 150 pounds, wearing a white sleeveless shirt, police reported.