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Weekly Police Activity Reports

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STOLEN IDENTITY

Gallup, May 28

A man tried to cash a check that wasn’t his, but it didn’t end well for him.

On May 28, Gallup Police Officers Jarad Watchman and Francis Collins were parked near Penny Pinchers, 1301 E. Hwy. 66, when the store’s clerk approached them and told them about a fraudulent check.

The clerk explained that a man, who was later identified as Norman Smith Jr., came into the store with the check and an ID.

Smith, 45, allegedly said that he’d had the check for about a month now because he’d been in jail. The check was for $950 and it was dated for May 28. It was from Danny Auto Sales, 700 E. Hwy 66.

The clerk said that the photo on the ID did not look like Smith, and that’s why he called his uncle, who owns Penny Pinchers. The clerk’s uncle told him that there had been a recent break-in at Danny Auto Sales, and that the check was probably stolen.

Smith allegedly overheard the conversation and asked the clerk for “his” ID back. The clerk told Smith to hold on and wait for the police, and that’s when Smith ran out of the business and took off in a green Ford Expedition.

The clerk told the officers that Smith had headed west bound and Collins drove off to track down the Expedition. He eventually found the Expedition and pulled Smith over at the Gas Up, 920 E. Hwy. 66.

Watchman and the clerk arrived at the scene and the clerk was able to positively identify Smith as the man who had come into Penny Pinchers.

The officers also learned that Smith had an outstanding warrant for his arrest out of Magistrate Court for the battery of a household member.

Smith was transported to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center. He was charged with fraud and identity theft. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 8.

The stolen ID and check were logged into evidence.

BROKEN TV

Gallup, April 22

A woman broke another person’s TV after getting in an argument.

On April 22 around 10:52 am, Gallup Police Officer Ryan Boucher was dispatched to 680 Todd Dr., due to a  woman who had destroyed someone else’s property.

When Boucher arrived at the scene, he met with the victim, who said a woman named Cheyenne Begay, 21, lives with him and that she’d been in her room yelling and throwing things. The man said he went into the room to try and calm Begay down, and that’s when he reportedly saw his flat screen TV on the floor.

According to the police report, the man said that Begay was possibly upset about an argument she’d had with someone over the phone. The man said he believed Begay threw his TV on the ground.

The man estimated that the TV cost about $2,000. He tried to turn on the TV, but it wouldn’t turn on. Boucher also tried to turn it on, but with no success.

There was no visible damage to the TV.

Begay was not at the house when officers arrived at the scene.

The victim said Begay didn’t physically harm him, but that his wife had an order of protection against Begay, and that he would like one as well.

Officers put out a warrant for Begay’s arrest since she was not there when they arrived. She was finally caught and arrested on June 2.

Begay was charged with criminal damage to property. Her bench trial is scheduled for June 14.

BREAKING AND ENTERING

Gallup, April 18

On April 18, around 1:22 am, Gallup Police officers Iris Pinero, Dominic Molina, and Warren Bowannie were dispatched to the Golden Desert Motel, 1205 W. Hwy. 66 because of a report of breaking and entering.

Metro Dispatch told the officers that the suspects had left the area.

Bowannie was able to track down one of the suspects, a man named Davison Begay. Once Begay, 36, was detained, the officers went back to the motel and were able to speak to the motel’s manager.

The manager explained that the incident had happened in room 47. Only one person was registered to be in the room, and that man had recently been taken to the hospital around 9 pm.

The officers watched a surveillance video of the incident that occurred around 1:17 am. According to Pinero’s report, the video features Begay and two unknown people.

A woman wearing a black sweater with a white skeleton print on it can be seen swinging a bat into a glass window.

Once the woman broke the window, Begay allegedly crawled into the room and was able to unlock the door to the room to let the unknown woman inside.

An unknown man, who was last seen wearing a black sweater, a black beanie, and blue jean shorts, kept watch outside while Begay and the unknown woman were inside of the motel room. He eventually enters the room, and then a couple minutes later the video shows the three individuals leaving the room.

A witness said he heard glass shattering and he also allegedly saw the people go into the room, and then he called the police.

Officers were not able to find the other two suspects at the time of the report.

Begay was charged with breaking and entering. His preliminary hearing was on April 27.