HANGING AROUND THE SCENE
1/16, GALLUP
A woman kicking back in her apartment watching some TV was startled when she heard knocking on her door. Wondering who could be calling on her at 6:30 pm, she turned off the tube and walked to her bedroom window. When she peeked out, she saw Gilbert Valdez, who was a perfect stranger to her.
She went to the front door and looked out the peephole, and that’s when she could hear Valdez reportedly shimmying her door handle, trying to get into the apartment. The woman grabbed a baseball bat and looked out the window, and noticed that he was gone. From there, she went outside and closed her gate. On her way back in she noticed that Valdez had damaged the front door, prompting her to call police.
Meanwhile, Valdez returned to her apartment, this time parking his truck in the driveway. He stayed in the truck until Gallup Police arrived. Officer Jeremy Shirley was at the scene along with other officers, and they concluded from evidence and the victim’s physical description that Valdez attempted to break in to the home using a screwdriver.
According to the report, Shirley placed the screwdriver on the hood of his patrol unit, and may have left it there as he decided to transfer Valdez to the hospital for an open wound to his arm. Photos of the scene were logged into evidence.
Valdez, 42, was charged with breaking and entering and posted bond for $1,000 on Jan. 18. He has a non-jury trial date set for Feb. 2 in Magistrate Court.
HOLY BREAK-IN
1/16, GALLUP
A man called police mid-afternoon to make a report about a broken window at the Fellowship Church, 800 W. Ford Dr. He had noticed on Sunday that the upper pane was broken, but when he arrived Monday the lower pane was broke as well. He estimated the damages to be exactly $34.46.
GPD Officer DeWayne Holder called for some back up before conducting a search of the building. Officer Timothy Hughte arrived with his K-9 partner Kuno to help sniff out any uninvited humans in the building.
Hugte called out several times that he was going to let Kuno go investigate, so it would be a good idea for anyone in the building to come forward. Someone did – John Cabrera.
Cabrera, 35, said that he was just trying to get warm, according to Holder’s report. His property entailed a duffle bag full of clothing, and some food in a paper bag.
He was charged with breaking and entering and criminal damage to property. As of Jan. 19, he’s being held on a $5,000 cash surety bond at McKinley County Adult Detention Center. He has a preliminary examination hearing set for Jan. 25 in Magistrate Court.
BARREL THEFT
1/13, Manuelito
Hasse Contracting, Inc. was reportedly robbed of 17 orange barrels worth nearly $1,900, according to McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Salina Brown’s report. The man that reported the missing barrels on Jan. 14 said the the last time that anyone saw the barrels was the night before, when the crew headed out for the day at 6:30 pm.