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Typical Manteca summer crime day: House burglary, shoplifting, & more
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Manteca officers captured a 20-year-old man in the Target Store parking lot shortly after 2 p.m. after store loss prevention officers allegedly witnessed him taking items from the store’s displays. Tom Akeman told police he had taken the bus in Stockton to come to Manteca where police said he was found with a cell phone, a hypodermic needle and other items taken from the store. He was charged with burglary, possession of stolen property and possession of the hypodermic needle. - photo by GLENN KAHL

Wednesday was a typical day for Manteca Police.

While nothing horrendous occurred it typified the usual increase in police calls with the arrival of warmer weather.

There were a couple of calls from anxious neighbors who witnessed people diving through windows – one in the north central part of the city and another near the downtown on South Lincoln Avenue.  The first woman claimed it was her daughter’s home and it was okay for her to go through a side window to get into the house.

The cops didn’t buy it and in checking found that she was on searchable probation and had possession of methamphetamine.  She was processed at the police department, written a citation and released from custody to appear later in court.  Her car had been left parked across the sidewalk and police towed the vehicle.

On South Lincoln Avenue a neighbor spotted a man going through a front window and didn’t recognize that he actually belonged in that home.  The police surrounded the house – in the front and in the alley – with the man coming out with his hands raised.  While he claimed it was his residence he didn’t have any proof of identification.  The neighborhood postal carrier showed up with the mail which confirmed the name he gave officers.

And then in the early afternoon officers received a call from loss prevention officers at the Target Store as they were watching a man in his early 20s placing items inside his clothing.  Police caught up with him after he left the store and arrested him for burglary.  He said he had come to Manteca on the bus to go to the Target Store.

In the early evening around 5:30 Target called again to say they had another shoplifter in their facility and would like an officer to meet with him when he left the store.  With all of the surveillance cameras in these stores today, it’s hard to understand how anyone can think they are going to get away with the loot they see as free for the taking.

Tuesday evening at 6 three men were literally caught in the act of removing property from an abandoned home on Daniels Street.  It was the second time in six hours they had backed their S-10 Chevy pickup into the driveway and filled it with loot.

Sgt. Julie Renfroe should get a lot of credit for chasing a despondent man down in the middle of the freeway at Union Road Tuesday morning.  Truckers were a big help by blocking the freeway traffic with other officers Greg Beall and Mike Keener finally tasing the man in the middle of the traffic lanes to keep him from being killed by moving vehicles.

With the numbers of burglaries that have been occurring at homes in the Manteca area, residents are naturally anxious and watching out for their neighbors.  Maybe it would be a good idea to know who lives across the street or next door before deciding to use a window to get in rather than a door.  Also when getting caught by store detectives, a suspect may find himself cooling his heels in the store’s office for longer than he or she expects as calls back up with fewer officers on the street.