EARLY ASSAULT

Gallup, Feb. 17

A Santa Fe man reported being attacked and stabbed in the early morning hours of Feb. 17.

Lane Brown said he was walking near the train tracks on North Ninth Street about 1:30 am, when he was attacked by four or five men.

He said he did not know any of the attackers and could not give police a description. He also said he did not know he had been stabbed until after the attack and he had trouble breathing.

Police said Brown had a laceration on the left side of his abdomen. There was no blood on his clothing.

Police conducted a search of the area and found no one. Brown was transported to a local hospital.

AUTO STOLEN

Gallup, Feb. 16

The cold weather was a contributing factor in the theft of a motor vehicle from the Sun Valley Apartments on Montoya Avenue Feb. 16.

Janet Yazzie said she started the car at 7:15 am to warm it up and then went back into her apartment. When she came back out at 8:10 am, the car was missing.

The car was not found and police said there are no suspects.

TV THIEF CAUGHT

Gallup, Feb. 16

A Wister, Okla. man was given a Municipal Court Summons after he reportedly tried to steal a television set from Walmart Feb. 16.

Police said Chad Smith, 26, had been seen taking the wrapper off of a television and then placing it in his shopping cart. He then went to the produce section and selected two items and placed them in his shopping cart.

Police said he then observed that one of the exits was unmanned so he walked out without paying for the items. A store employee stopped him and took him to the store’s security office where he was detained until police arrived.

Smith told police he was on his way back to Oklahoma. He was released after getting the summons.

CABIN TRESPASSER

Bluewater, Feb. 16

The McKinley County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report of someone making themselves at home in a cabin in Bluewater.

Herman Sanchez said he and his family went to the cabin Feb. 16 and discovered that someone had forced the front door open and went inside since the last time he and his family were there Jan. 2.

He reported that some food had been taken as well as some clothing.

While there were some valuable electronics in the cabin, such as a DVR player, none of it was touched. He said no furniture was taken and everything else in the cabin, including paintings, appear to have been untouched.

He said he found a camouflage jacket and a pair of vice grips in the living room that did not belong to him. Deputies took these into evidence.

There are no suspects at this time.

LIQUOR THIEF

Gallup, Feb. 15

Jason Frank, 38, of Gallup, was arrested for shoplifting after allegedly stealing a pint of vodka from Walmart Feb. 15.

Gallup police received a call from the store about 12:30 pm saying that Frank had left the building. Police caught up with him a little later not far from the store.

He told police he had returned the pint of vodka to store employees, but police found a pint of vodka in the purse of a woman who was with him. It turned out that Frank had stolen two pints of vodka and returned one to employees but kept the other hidden in his waistband, according to police.

Police also discovered that Frank had three outstanding warrants out for his arrest.