Crime Corner

COPS: Five arrested in search for stolen property

Five people were arrested this week after Nye County Sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant on a home in the 1400 block of West Wilson Road looking for items that had allegedly been stolen from a local retailer.

On Tuesday the NCSO Street Crimes unit opened an investigation into several recent burglaries that had allegedly occurred at Home Depot.

During the course of that investigation, police were led to a property on West Wilson Road. Officers were subsequently granted a warrant to search the property. Deputies along with the NCSO SWAT team arrived at the property at approximately 1 a.m. and served the warrant without incident.

Inside the residence, police allegedly found much of the property that had been reported stolen from the store. Additionally, officers reportedly found narcotics, dangerous weapons, firearms and drug paraphernalia as well.

Further investigation allegedly revealed two men, Jack Gallego and Ricky Richardson, were the primary suspects in the alleged burglaries and that two additional suspects, Christopher Biddy and Jennifer Benedict, were co-conspirators in the case.

An additional suspect, Jayr Smith, was also arrested at the residence after officers discovered he had a warrant out for his arrest after he allegedly failed to appear in court on a DUI charge.

Police noted that although much of the stolen property was recovered from the home, there are still items that have not yet been found.

An investigation into the matter remains ongoing.

COPS: Two arrested in firearms theft

Police arrested two people last week after they allegedly admitted they were involved in the theft of more than $650 worth of guns from a local home.

According to a declaration of arrest in the case in November, a detective was called to a residence in the 6500 block of Vicki Ann Road for a report of a residential burglary.

The homeowner reportedly told the investigator he had recently realized several of his guns were missing and that he believed they may have been taken sometime in September.

The victim’s minor grandson was subsequently identified as a suspect in the case and he allegedly admitted he stole the missing guns. He also allegedly told police another suspect, Shaun Neubert, had helped him take the firearms from his grandfather’s home and that another suspect named Hilton Madrid-Galindo had sold them.

On Jan. 9 deputies served search warrants at both Neubert and Madrid-Galindo’s residences.

During that time Neubert allegedly admitted to helping the minor suspect steal the guns.

Madrid-Galindo initially denied knowing anything about the stolen guns, but later allegedly admitted to police he had given away four of the firearms to other people.

Both Madrid-Galindo and Neubert were subsequently arrested and transported to the Nye County Detention Center to be booked into custody.

As of last week, none of the stolen guns had been recovered from either of the suspects’ homes.

COPS: Woman arrested for conspiring to steal from liquor store

Police took one woman into custody last weekend after she allegedly admitted to taking a bottle of alcohol from a local store without paying for it.

Just before 7 p.m. on Jan. 11, a deputy was dispatched to Tobacco Express on State Route 372 for a report of a theft.

When the officer arrived, he spoke with the store’s owner who explained on Jan. 9 two females had come into the store to buy cigars and were acting suspicious.

The man said he then decided to review the surveillance footage from when they were in his store and said he discovered they had taken several items without paying for them.

The store owner then showed the deputy the footage where the two women could allegedly be seen placing multiple bottles of alcohol in their purses.

The officer reportedly recognized the females from prior calls for service and subsequently relocated to a residence in the 1000 block of Quartzite Avenue to try and make contact with them.

The deputy then spoke with one of the female suspects, Marriah Baldinger, who allegedly told the officer she didn’t have any money when she and the other female went into the store.

When she saw her friend placing a bottle of alcohol in her purse, she allegedly said she decided to do the same and then they left without paying.

Baldinger was subsequently placed under arrest for conspiracy to commit petit larceny and transported to the local jail to be booked into custody.

COPS: Man arrested for stealing $300 in merchandise

One man was taken into custody last weekend after he allegedly attempted to steal $300 worth of merchandise from Walmart.

According to a declaration of arrest in the case, on Jan. 11 just before 10 p.m. a deputy was asked to respond to Walmart on State Route 160 for a report of shoplifting.

Upon his arrival, a member of Walmart’s loss prevention staff showed the officer surveillance video of a man, later identified as Patrick Gunn, placing various items into his pockets. The employee then reportedly witnessed the man exit the store without without paying for any of the items he had taken.

Deputies were able to stop Gunn for questioning.

Gunn allegedly admitted to taking various items from the store and told police that he was very sorry for what he had done.

Gunn was then placed under arrest and transported to the Nye County Detention Center to be booked into custody.

COPS: Man arrested for stealing from woman’s car

Police took one man into custody last week after he was allegedly caught removing items from a woman’s car in the parking lot of Lakeside Casino.

On Jan. 8 at approximately 9:15 p.m., a deputy was dispatched to the casino for a report a male burglarizing a vehicle in the parking lot.

When the officer arrived, Lakeside security had detained the suspect, later identified as Bobby Kruse. Security staff reportedly told the deputy they had witnessed Kruse inside an employee’s vehicle after a window had been broken out and subsequently found several items belonging to the employee on Kruse’s person.

The employee whose car Kruse was found in was then asked to come out and identify any items that belonged to her and was able to confirm Kruse had taken a cell phone charger and three CDs from her vehicle.

Additionally, a faucet was also reportedly found in Kruse’s possession.

Upon further investigation it was allegedly discovered that the item had been ripped out of a sink in one of the casino’s bathrooms.

Kruse was subsequently placed under arrest for auto burglary, petit larceny, tampering with a motor vehicle and injury to property and transported to the local jail to be booked into custody.