In brief: Suspects identified in pizza robbery
Two suspects have been identified in a knife-point robbery that netted four pizzas and nothing else.
Manuel Torres, 21, has been charged with first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery for the Jan. 29 heist in the area of 1800 W. Gardner Ave.
A 16-year-old girl is charged as a juvenile.
The two are accused of stealing four pizzas from a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver after the girl ordered five pizzas. Spokane police believe Torres threatened the man with a knife and grabbed the top pizza bag containing four pizzas.
The girl had placed the order from her mother’s cellphone, police say. Her mother identified her to police as having her phone that night. The victim and other witnesses identified the girl and Torres from photo montages.
Girl says man tried to lure her into car
Police are investigating reports that a man tried to get a fifth-grade girl to get into his car Thursday morning near Pierce Road and Valleyway Avenue in Spokane Valley.
The girl, a student at Opportunity Elementary School, was approached by a man in a car who asked if she wanted a ride to school as she waited for the bus, police say.
The girl walked to a bus stop where other students were waiting and told the bus driver about the incident.
The man is described as white, in his late 20s to early 30s with brown hair and a black stocking cap with a white stripe. The vehicle was an older red sedan with tinted windows.
The girl told police the man asked her “at least five times” if he could give her a ride to school before she walked away.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 446-2233.
Man with tools arrested by deputy
A man arrested during a vehicle prowling patrol in the Morgan Acres area of north Spokane County in January was arrested again early Thurday by the same deputy during another patrol in the same area.
Yuriy V. Siriy, 22, had a large bulge sticking out from under his coat when Deputy Daryl Smith contacted him about 12:34 a.m. as he walked north on North Regal Street. It turned out to be a metal pry bar and a large screwdriver that he’d secured through the belt loops of his pants.
Siriy’s pants were sagging from the weight of items in his pockets, which turned out to be two smaller screwdrivers, a key ring with several keys, a folding knife, a small flashlight, another full key ring and a pair of black gloves. Smith said the pry bar had been modified, and the screwdriver had gouge marks on the top consistent with being used on ignitions or key locks. Several of the keys were modified and shaved. Siriy was booked into jail for possession of burglary tools, which is a gross misdemeanor.
Convenience store robbed at gunpoint
A convenience store in Browne’s Addition was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night.
The robber fled the Sunset Market in the 1900 block of West Sunset Boulevard with an undisclosed amount of cash after displaying a handgun about 11:49 p.m., the Spokane Police Department said Thursday.
The suspect is described as a black man, 20 to 22 years old, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-7 and 150 to 160 pounds. He wore a black knit ski mask, dark hooded sweatshirt, black coat, dark loose pants and black-and-white athletic shoes.
The gun is described as a black semi-automatic pistol.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Bill would waive DSHS overpayments
The state House of Representatives voted 63 to 35 to pass a bill that would allow the state Department of Social and Health Services to waive collection of benefit overpayments when the mistake is the agency’s.
The Senate passed the legislation Feb. 14, but the bill was amended by the House. The two chambers must come up with consistent language before Gov. Christine Gregoire can sign it into law.
There have been 1,354 cases of overpayment to child care subsidy recipients as of Oct. 4, 2011, according to the agency’s Office of Financial Recovery. While much of the $2.5 million in overpaid subsidies is a result of fraud or consumer mistakes in reporting financial information, some overpayments are the result of agency errors.
The bill allows the agency to forgo collecting overpayments from a client when an overpayment wasn’t the client’s fault and was less than $2,000. The measure also directs the agency, in collaboration with the Department of Early Learning and the State Auditor’s Office, to develop and provide the Legislature with recommendations by Jan. 1 for improving its monitoring and detection systems to prevent future overpayments.