Police searching for man who robbed business
By William Lundquist
Argus Observer
Friday, November 2, 2007 10:40 AM PDT
Ontario — The Ontario Police Department is searching for man who robbed Casa Machuca, 65 S.W. Second Ave., Ontario, Thursday at about 4:15 p.m.
Ontario Police Capt. Mark Alexander described the suspect as a Caucasian male in his late 20s, short, medium build, with nearly shaved light brown hair. He was last seen fleeing the scene on foot, going west.
Alexander said the man had been in the store earlier asking about a cell phone, then returned 30 to 45 minutes later with a handgun and demanded money, which he took.
OPD, Alexander said, is being assisted by the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office on a composite drawing of the suspect. Alexander asked that anyone who saw anything or has any knowledge of the crime to call the police. He said anonymous tips can be left at (541) 881-3213.
In other public safety news, local law enforcement officials had hoped for a quiet Halloween, and they got it.
“It was pretty uneventful for a Halloween,” Alexander said.
He said his reports showed three cases of vandalism to vehicles, but there were no arrests in those cases, he said, indicating something minor, like eggs thrown on cars.
A traffic stop for reckless driving, however, ended with the arrest of a passenger in the vehicle, Alexander said. He said that at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Paul Menchaca, 22, Nyssa, was arrested on several outstanding warrants: a felony warrant for failure to keep his address up to date as a registered sex offender; a felony warrant for a parole violation, and a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of furnishing liquor to a minor.
Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Craig Smith did not have anything even that interesting to report.
He said two Vale juveniles were cited for being minors in possession of alcohol, but that was about it for Halloween.
Ontario Police Chief Mike Kee said earlier that the past few Halloweens have been so quiet that he no longer puts on extra patrols for the night. Malheur County Undersheriff Brian Wolfe said his department puts a couple of extra deputies out on the road on Halloween.
