Crime & Police

Labor Day weekend is over, but West Valley cops are going to be out in force trying to nab drunk drivers — this weekend. You’ve been warned…

A man caught masturbating in front of a whole bunch of schoolchildren in Phoenix didn’t understand what the problem was, police say.To clarify, police say Ronald Dean told officers he didn’t understand what the problem was while he was smoking crack in an alley behind the school with his pants…

A Phoenix man accused of stealing merchandise from a Target store told a police officer that if he touched his genital area while searching him, he’d return the favor.Sure enough, police say 25-year-old Alexander Garcia gave the officer a solid squeeze — which landed Garcia in jail on a felony…

Over Labor Day weekend, 656 Arizonans celebrated with a good ol’ fashioned DUI arrest.Of those arrests, 126 were for driving of the influence of drugs, which is the highest in recent history…

If Scott Graham is responsible for all the missing cats in a Mesa neighborhood, then it’s safe to say that he messed the wrong people’s cats.Now that Graham was sentenced to house arrest in the case — which involved the murders of up to 40 cats — people are protesting…

No matter how many police reports we read through on a monthly basis, the criminal creativity, stupidity, and craziness never ceases to amaze us.Just when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s always something worse. From a guy chucking his son over a wall to run from the cops, to…

This week’s Most Wanted, featuring a few more scofflaws, including suspects who’ve violated probation and ripped someone off at gunpoint. Suspects featured here are presumed innocent — until a judge or jury says otherwise. Check out the Valley’s Most Wanted:…

A 15-year-old stole a police car while officers were breaking up the party he was attending in Mesa, cops say.The youngster’s name wasn’t released by police, but Mesa Police Sergeant Tony Landato says he was seen running from the home when police arrived, but returned to hop into the front…

Phoenix police say a man didn’t realize for several hours that he left his 3-month-old son in a hot car, even though he was smoking weed right next to the car at one point.Daniel Gray’s 3-month-old son, James, died in the car, which was parked behind a sports bar where…

Drunk driving is bad.With that out of the way, here’s where police will be setting up “saturation patrols” around the Valley, and elsewhere, looking for impaired drivers this weekend, including Labor Day:…

Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown of goings-on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.This week, a crappy mom gets probation for trying to give away her baby, the murder case that no jurors seem to able to agree on, Jodi Arias acts like Jodi Arias, and more:…

At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest.This week, we’re just pointing out some things…

Witnesses claim a black church groundskeeper in South Phoenix was roughed up by Phoenix police officers, who just left him there.The man, Frank Morrison, suffered a stroke during his run-in with police, and has been hospitalized since early Monday morning…

A naked meth-head in a Phoenix park told police he had a good reason he was walking around completely naked.Steve Charow, a 47-year-old Phoenix resident who just happens to be a registered sex offender (surprise!) tried to explain that a Good Samaritan he met in the park offered to wash…

It seems kind of rude to ask a random parent whether their 4-year-old child is a boy or a girl.It’s certainly rude to ask that question, then call the parent a liar, and stuff your hand down the 4-year-old’s pants to check for yourself — which is exactly what police…

Disbarred former prosecutors Andrew Thomas and Lisa Aubuchon want former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard’s testimony tossed from former Maricopa County Supervisor Attorney Don Stapleys lawsuit. Yes, that lawsuit — one of the larger pieces of detritus left over from years of county infighting. Stapley, who quit politics last year…

Police believe a 25-year-old Tempe resident fatally shot his 3-month-old son before committing suicide.Rajneesh Saini was at a family gathering at a home in Chandler when he went out to his vehicle and committed the murder/suicide, police believe…

A total of 10 Mesa police officers were involved in deadly shootings over the weekend.Phoenix police say the 10 Mesa officers were involved in either of two shooting incidents, both of which occurred in Phoenix…

A Tempe man abandoned an apartment full of cats last month, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.Almost all of the cats somehow survived without food, water, or air conditioning, but all of them didn’t make it — one cat was found dead in a kitchen drawer…

Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown of goings-on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.This week, the state rested its murder case against former Phoenix cop Richard Chrisman, Chris Simcox may be offered a plea deal, a frat boy may get off the hook in a flaming Everclear incident, and…

At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest.This week, all of our alleged offenders have…

Lawyer for Jodi Arias filed a motion today seeking all the Twitter accounts and Twitter handles of jurors picked for her upcoming penalty-phase redo. Arias and her lawyers are concerned that jurors may be improperly influenced by Twitter conversations they received, or from tweets sent to them, the motion obtained…