Police Log

Posted 2/9/16

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

93-YEAR-OLD RESCUED

On Feb. 6 at 12:05 p.m., Warwick police dispatch received a call from Warwick fire and rescue …

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Police Log

Posted

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

93-YEAR-OLD RESCUED

On Feb. 6 at 12:05 p.m., Warwick police dispatch received a call from Warwick fire and rescue dispatch that there was a possible dryer fire at 131 Chatworth Ave., and a 93-year-old female was still inside the residence.

Officer Scott Chanthaphouvong was dispatched to assist at approximately 12:06, and was the first responder to arrive at 12:10. Upon approaching, the officer observed heavy, dark smoke and large flames coming from the side of the residence, which was fully engulfed with the fire rapidly spreading. He relayed this information to dispatch and requested additional units to respond.

Chanthaphouvong ran to the front door and banged on it multiple times. As he was about to break in, the 93-year-old woman answered and opened the door. The officer advised her of the situation and said she needed to quickly leave the home. She stated she was the only person in the residence, and that there was no fire and that her dryer was just smoking. She then attempted to walk back into the residence to get her cat.

Chanthaphouvong stated that there was smoke billowing from inside the residence and that there was extreme heat from the fire. He prevented her from re-entering the home and attempted to escort her out. He observed that her hair on the right side of her head was singed and was unsure if she had suffered any injuries. Chanthaphouvong picked her up and carried her to a safe location by the street.

The fire chief arrived on the scene shortly thereafter and assisted in carrying the woman to the police cruiser for treatment by the rescue. She was then transported to Kent Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.

The fire was eventually extinguished about an hour later, and deemed to be non-suspicious. The woman’s cat was also located, safe at a neighbor’s residence.

SHOPLIFTING

CHARGES

On Jan. 31 at approximately 1:35 p.m., Officer Scott Chanthaphouvong and other members of the Warwick Police Department were dispatched to the Target at 400 Bald Hill Road for a reported shoplifting in progress.

The store’s loss prevention department reported that a suspect allegedly placed two Fitbits, valued at $600, in his front pocket before running from the store into a gold Saturn. Sgt. Robert Palumbo was in the area and was able to locate the suspect’s vehicle getting onto Route 295 South, where he stopped the vehicle.

Both officers approached the suspect, identified as Ryan Tellier of 17 Clinton St., Apt. 1, Taunton, Mass., who exited the vehicle and stated to the officers that he had made a mistake, did not want any further issues and wanted to cooperate, and that the merchandise he shoplifted was in the vehicle’s back seat. Based on his admission of shoplifting, he was placed under arrest.

Tellier was first transported back to Target, where the store’s loss prevention department positively identified him, provided a written statement, and advised that the store would press charges. Tellier was then transferred to police headquarters, where a pending warrant for his arrest was found for a shoplifting charge at the same Target store on Jan. 30. Police noted that while in custody, Tellier was very cooperative. He was processed and was released with a Third District Court summons.

On Feb. 1 at 12:45 p.m., Officer Jill Marshall was dispatched to the Walmart at 840 Post Road for a report of shoplifting.

Officer Marshall spoke with an asset protection associate, who stated that the suspect – identified as Michael Collins, of 957 Post Road, Warwick – was eating a box of donuts and drinking a Monster energy drink in the store’s domestics department. Upon finishing both products, Collins is said to have placed the empty containers on a shelf in the shoe department and headed to the electronics department, where he selected a portable FM radio that he concealed in his sweatshirt pocket.

Upon exiting the store and making no attempt to pay for the merchandise he consumed and took, which was valued at $15.24, he was approached by security and brought back into the store where the radio was recovered. He was then brought to the station, fingerprinted and processed, and held as a bail violator.

FRAUD AND EMBEZZLEMENT

Officer Scott Chanthaphouvong was dispatched to Accurate Molded Products Inc. at 495 Warwick Industrial Drive on Jan. 27 at approximately 8:14 a.m. for a fraud and embezzlement complaint.

Upon arrival, Chanthaphouvong spoke with the company’s owner, who indicated that his bookkeeper – identified as Valery Lopez of 469 Smithfield Ave., Pawtucket – had allegedly stolen three company checks sometime in November. He stated that two checks were each forged in the amount of $720 made out in other employees’ names, that his signature was forged, and that the bookkeeper had endorsed the checks and cashed them into her own personal bank account. The owner then stated that Lopez allegedly added the income to the employees’ 1099 IRS forms, that the theft was discovered through an audit of those forms, and that he wanted to press charges.

Chanthaphouvong later responded to Accurate Molded Products around 11:43 a.m. the same day to obtain additional information. He reports the bookkeeper was at the scene, and approached the company owner who was with the officer. The officer reports the bookkeeper, without prompting, stated that she had made a big mistake and was willing to pay the owner back for the stolen checks. Based on these statements, Chanthaphouvong read Lopez her constitutional rights from a preprinted card.

Lopez then reportedly admitted she had stolen the three checks and forged them, indicating she had made errors on one but was able to deposit the other two. She reportedly stated that in January she used a bank app on her mobile device to make the deposit.

Upon admission, Sgt. Kyle Kettelle was advised of the investigation, and it was determined that Lopez would be arrested and charged with larceny of the checks, two counts of computer access, and embezzlement for the two transactions that were processed. Lopez was brought to police headquarters, processed, and transported to district court for arraignment.

VANDALISM

On Jan. 23 at approximately 11:40 a.m., Officer Julio Benros met with the owner of the Coffee Grinder at 961 Namquid Drive for a report of vandalism.

The owner reported damage to a glass plate window panel, with damage consistent with the frame of the window being struck with blunt force, causing the glass to break. Benros took a statement from the owner, and also noted damage to the entry door glass at 969 Namquid Drive, the adjacent business, which was also broken and damaged. There were no suspects at the time of the report.

Comments

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  • RISchadenfreude

    Kitty has left the building! It happens quite often- the pet(s) that people go back into a burning building to rescue have already fled. Fortunately, Officer Chanthaphouvong arrived as quickly as he did, and may have prevented a tragedy.

    Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    I would run into a burning building for a pussy.

    Thursday, February 11, 2016 Report this

  • RISchadenfreude

    Jastanidiot, why doesn't that surprise me?

    Friday, February 12, 2016 Report this