Police Log

Posted 8/25/15

The Police Log is a digest of reports filed by the Warwick Police Department.

ROBBERIES

Warwick Police are investigating three robberies over the weekend that included threats of physical …

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Police Log

Posted

The Police Log is a digest of reports filed by the Warwick Police Department.

ROBBERIES

Warwick Police are investigating three robberies over the weekend that included threats of physical violence and in one instance a scuffle according to Major Christine Kelley.

She said that on Aug. 22 at 2:20 a.m. a male motorist came to a stop on the southbound exit ramp from Route 95 to Jefferson Boulevard when a man stepped into the road. As the man stood in front of the car, a second man approached the car with a knife and demanded he get out of the car. The two men then fled in the Ford Mustang that was later found abandoned in the northbound lane of Route 95.

On Aug. 23, Kelley said, a 57-year-old man, who was leaving work in the vicinity of Riverdale Court at 9:30 p.m. was approached by a white male who demanded his wallet. There was a physical altercation and the man took off on foot on the nearby bike path. Kelley did not indicate whether the man made off with any money.

And on Aug. 24 at 1 a.m. a man approached a pharmacist at the CVS at 767 Warwick Avenue, saying he was carrying a weapon and demanding narcotics. The pharmacist complied and the man fled.

Kelley said no arrests have been made in any of the cases and the robberies are under investigation.

WARRANT

Officer Quentin Tavares was traveling northbound on Bald Hill Road in the area of Men’s Warehouse Clothing Store at 5:53 p.m. on Aug. 14, when he observed a vehicle with one of its brake lights out. Tavares said he watched the vehicle turn into the Men’s Warehouse parking lot and as it did, it struck the curb with its back right tire. Tavares said he then conducted a motor vehicle stop and spoke to the operator. After the woman provided him with her license, registration and proof of insurance, he spoke with the man in the passenger seat and asked for identification. Although the man did not have it on him, he provided his name and Social Security number to Tavares, who explained he needed it in order to verify the man was who he said he was. After advising the operator why he stopped her, Tavares said she told him she was unaware of the plate light being out. Tavares said he then conducted checks on both parties as well as the vehicle, which revealed an active registration. However, upon running a check on the passenger, Tavares said it was revealed he currently had an active warrant for Driving with Suspended License, Failure to Appear for Arraignment with a Hold Without Bail. After confirming the warrant, Tavares said another officer arrived on scene and the passenger was asked to exit the vehicle and was taken into custody. When informed of why he was being arrested, the man said he missed a court date and knew there was a warrant out for his arrest. Tavares said the female operator was then released on a warning for the equipment violation on her vehicle and the man, identified as Andrew Martin, 28, of 18 Grover Street, Apt. 1, Providence, was transported to Warwick Police Department Headquarters, where he was fingerprinted and processed. He was later transported to the Adult Correctional Institution.

SHOPLIFTING

Officer Stephen Major was dispatched to the J. C. Penney store at Warwick Mall, 400 Bald Hill Road, at 3:27 p.m. on Aug. 14 in reference to a shoplifter in custody. Upon arrival, Major met with a loss prevention officer, who said she and other loss prevention members observed a male, later identified as Felix A. Gonzalez, 23, of 183 Laban Street, Apt. 1, Providence, select a men’s Arizona jean jacket valued at $67, conceal it and pass all points of purchase, making no attempt to pay for the merchandise. Once outside the store, loss prevention said they stopped Gonzalez, identified themselves and escorted him back into the store and called Warwick Police. Major said he took Gonzalez into custody and transported him to Warwick Police Department Headquarters, where he was jailed and processed without incident. Major said Gonzalez signed his District Court Summons for the Shoplifting, but then due to the fact he had a Failure to Appear for Arraignment on a charge of Driving with a Suspended License, he was on a Hold Without Bail warrant and was transported to the Adult Correctional Institution in Cranston. Gonzalez was charged with one count of Shoplifting – Misdemeanor. Major said he seized a video of the shoplifting, which was entered into evidence at police headquarters, as well as a copy of the receipt for the item, which was submitted to Records.

MALICIOUS DAMAGE

Officer Joseph DeDonato responded to All Occasion Limousine at 2 Commerce Drive at 11:59 a.m. on Aug. 13 in reference to a malicious damage to a window, possibly from a bullet or a BB gun. Upon arrival, DeDonato met with the reporting party, who owns the All Occasion Limousine business. He told DeDonato that sometime between Aug. 7 and Aug. 13, someone shot what appeared to be a bullet or a BB at the window of his office. He said the projectile did not penetrate into his office and it did not make it through the second layer of glass. DeDonato said he did observe a very small hole (consistent with a high-powered BB) in the window of the owner’s office. DeDonato said he also checked the area for any further damage, but observed no other damage to the building. DeDonato said the owner could not provide any information as to a possible suspect, indicating that he had fired several employees recently. DeDonato said building surveillance was not operational at the time.

BOAT LARCENY

Officer Timothy Tavares responded to the Harbor Light Marina located at 200 Gray Street at 5:22 p.m. on Aug. 15 for the report of a larceny from a boat. Upon arrival, Tavares met with a man, who said he noticed his fuel tank and gas hose were missing from his boat. He said while attempting to take his family for a ride in the boat, the engine would not start. He said he responded to the engine compartment and found it in disarray, with a missing cover, air filter, and various hoses were observed to be disconnected on the starboard engine. The man also said the cover was removed from the filter of the port side engine. He told Tavares he found a red New York Yankees hat (that did not belong to him) inside the engine compartment. The man said the gas tank and fuel hose are valued at approximately $100 each, and he had not yet received an estimate for the engine service. No suspects.

MARIJUANA

Officer Adam Arico was on routine patrol on Post Road at 9:15 p.m. on Aug. 14, traveling northbound in a marked police cruiser when he observed a vehicle traveling directly in front of him operating without a functioning rear license plate light. Arico conducted a traffic stop on Post Road in front of Balise Toyota. Arico then made contact with the lone male operator, who was later identified as Giani J. DeFusco, 18, of 353 Simmonville Avenue, #311, Johnston. While DeFusco was retrieving his license, registration and proof of insurance, Arico said he detected a strong odor of fresh marijuana emanating from inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Arico said he confronted DeFusco with this observation, to which he said his mother frequently drove the vehicle and she smoked marijuana. DeFusco then opened the ashtray and said there were several roaches in it. Arico said through his training and experience, the odor of marijuana appeared to be that of fresh marijuana and not burnt marijuana. At that time, he asked DeFusco to step out of the vehicle and conducted a pat down search for weapons and/or contraband, during which none was found.

After a second officer arrived to assist with the investigation, Arico said he conducted a search of the vehicle, at which time he located a large Hefty plastic Ziploc baggie containing a quantity of a greenish-brown leafy substance, which he identified to be marijuana. Arico said the baggie was tucked into the frame underneath the driver’s seat. He said a further check of the vehicle revealed a glass smoking pipe and a metal marijuana grinder. Although the pipe appeared to be used, Arico said it contained no marijuana, only burnt residue. He said the metal grinder only had trace amounts of what appeared to be marijuana inside. While checking the sunglasses compartment located in the ceiling area of the vehicle, Arico said he located a small digital electronic scale. A further check revealed no additional contraband or narcotics. Based on the quantity of marijuana suspected to be over an ounce, Arico said DeFusco was taken into custody without incident and transported to Warwick Police Department Headquarters for processing.

At headquarters, Arico said he weighed the suspected marijuana, which weighed 3.325 ounces. The material was then field-tested and came back positive for marijuana. Arico said both the marijuana and the digital electronic scale were secured in the Detectives Division mailbox. DeFusco was charged with Possession of Marijuana – 1st Offense and issued a Third District Court summons, which he signed. Arico said DeFusco was also cited for Illumination of Rear Plate, with an optional Municipal Court date. DeFusco was then released and waited in the lobby to be picked up.

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  • RISchadenfreude

    "Gee, Officer, I don't know what happened...it was dark and he just came out of nowhere and stepped right in front of my car. Give my condolences to his family for me." As soon as the second guy approached, the first should have been a speed bump.

    Tuesday, August 25, 2015 Report this