SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a stolen vehicle was located on SE California Avenue in Topeka.

Just before 3p.m., December 27, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office took a report of a stolen black 2020 Chevrolet Trax from the 3000 block of SE Starlight Drive, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.

Shortly before 3:45 p.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 2400 block of SE California Avenue and one individual was taken into custody. Michael A. Woodworth, 46, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Theft from motor vehicle; $25,000 &lt; $100,000;&nbsp;Possession of stolen property; $25,000 to $100,000 and&nbsp;Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant.

Woodworth has previous convictions for Interference with law enforcement by destroying evidence in a felony case and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735524569546.png" alt="Woodworth -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Woodworth -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a stolen vehicle was located on SE California Avenue in Topeka.Just before 3p.m., December 27, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office took a report of a stolen black 2020 Chevrolet Trax from the 3000 block of SE Starlight Drive, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.Shortly before 3:45 p.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 2400 block of SE California Avenue and one individual was taken into custody. Michael A. Woodworth, 46, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Theft from motor vehicle; $25,000 &lt; $100,000;&nbsp;Possession of stolen property; $25,000 to $100,000 and&nbsp;Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant.Woodworth has previous convictions for Interference with law enforcement by destroying evidence in a felony case and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon caught driving a stolen SUV

SALINE COUNTY —Police are investigating a violent attack involving a machete and have made an arrest.

The altercation occurred between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. December 27 following a heated dispute the previous evening, according to Salina Police Captain David Villanueva.

"Apparently, there were folks hanging out together. They know each other. There was some alcohol involved and that night before, there was some words between the victim and the suspect," Villanueva said. 

The suspect identified as 48-year-old&nbsp;Tualagi Masaniai allegedly had threatened the victim with a knife and also had made comments that he would “choke the person out, or cause him harm,” according to Captain Villanueva.

The following morning, Tualagi came to the 38-year-old victim's house in the 400 Block of South 4th Street in Salina.

According to the police report, Masaniai allegedly struck the victim in the face with a machete, creating a vertical laceration extending from the victim’s eye to his nose. Villanueva described the injury as severe, noting that it exposed facial substructures beneath the skin. The victim was treated for his injuries at Salina Regional Health Center. Police did not have an update on his condition Monday.

A police search of Masaniai’s residence uncovered a machete, described by investigators as a two-and-a-half to three-foot-long bush blade with blood on it. Additional evidence was also recovered from the suspect’s vehicle.

Police found Masaniai at a motel on South Broadway in Salina and arrested him on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and criminal threat.&nbsp; Villanueva said that the prior verbal threats, combined with the attack, led to the attempted first-degree murder charge.

Police did not release any additional information on the relationship between Masaniai and victim or the number of individuals present during the initial altercation on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735579321439.jpeg" alt="Tualagi Masaniai-photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Tualagi Masaniai-photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Police are investigating a violent attack involving a machete and have made an arrest.The altercation occurred between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. December 27 following a heated dispute the previous evening, according to Salina Police Captain David Villanueva."Apparently, there were folks hanging out together. They know each other. There was some alcohol involved and that night before, there was some words between the victim and the suspect," Villanueva said. The suspect identified as 48-year-old&nbsp;Tualagi Masaniai allegedly had threatened the victim with a knife and also had made comments that he would “choke the person out, or cause him harm,” according to Captain Villanueva.The following morning, Tualagi came to the 38-year-old victim's house in the 400 Block of South 4th Street in Salina.According to the police report, Masaniai allegedly struck the victim in the face with a machete, creating a vertical laceration extending from the victim’s eye to his nose. Villanueva described the injury as severe, noting that it exposed facial substructures beneath the skin. The victim was treated for his injuries at Salina Regional Health Center. Police did not have an update on his condition Monday.A police search of Masaniai’s residence uncovered a machete, described by investigators as a two-and-a-half to three-foot-long bush blade with blood on it. Additional evidence was also recovered from the suspect’s vehicle.Police found Masaniai at a motel on South Broadway in Salina and arrested him on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and criminal threat.&nbsp; Villanueva said that the prior verbal threats, combined with the attack, led to the attempted first-degree murder charge.Police did not release any additional information on the relationship between Masaniai and victim or the number of individuals present during the initial altercation on Friday.

Police: Kansas man struck victim in face with machete

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/amandahernandez/">AMANDA HERNANDEZ</a>

CHICAGO — Shoplifting rates in the three largest U.S. cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://counciloncj.org/between-the-aisles-a-closer-look-at-shoplifting-trends/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;last month from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice.

The sharp rise in retail theft in recent years has made shoplifting a hot-button issue, especially for politicians looking to address public safety concerns in their communities.

Since 2020, when viral videos of smash-and-grab robberies flooded social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have expressed fears that crime is out of control. Polls show that perceptions have improved recently, but a majority of Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/652763/smaller-majorities-say-crime-serious-increasing.aspx" target="_blank">still say</a>&nbsp;crime is worse than in previous years.

“There is this sense of brazenness that people have — they can just walk in and steal stuff. … That hurts the consumer, and it hurts the company,” said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, in an interview.

“That’s just the world we live in,” he said. “We need to get people to realize that you have to obey the law.”

At least eight states — Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New York and Vermont — passed a total of 14 bills in 2024 aimed at tackling retail theft, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures range from redefining retail crimes and adjusting penalties to allowing cross-county aggregation of theft charges and protecting retail workers.

Major retailers have responded to rising theft since 2020 by locking up merchandise, upgrading security cameras, hiring private security firms and even closing stores.

Still, the report indicates that shoplifting remains a stubborn problem.

In Chicago, the rate of reported shoplifting incidents remained below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2023 — but surged by 46% from January to October 2024 compared with the same period a year ago.

Shoplifting in Los Angeles was 87% higher in 2023 than in 2019. Police reports of shoplifting from January to October 2024 were lower than in 2023. Los Angeles adopted a new crime reporting system in March 2024, which has likely led to an undercount, according to the report.

In New York, shoplifting rose 48% from 2021 to 2022, then dipped slightly last year. Still, the shoplifting rate was 55% higher in 2023 than in 2019. This year, the shoplifting rate increased by 3% from January to September compared with the same period last year.

While shoplifting rates tend to rise in November and December, which coincides with in-person holiday shopping, data from the Council on Criminal Justice’s sample of 23 U.S. cities shows higher rates in the first half of 2024 compared with 2023.

Researchers found it surprising that rates went up despite retailers doing more to fight shoplifting. Experts say the spike might reflect improved reporting efforts rather than a spike in theft.

“As retailers have been paying more attention to shoplifting, we would not expect the numbers to increase,” said Ernesto Lopez, the report’s author and a senior research specialist with the council. “It makes it a challenge to understand the trends of shoplifting.”

In downtown Chicago on a recent early afternoon, potential shoppers shuffled through the streets and nearby malls, browsing for gifts ahead of the holidays.

Edward Johnson, a guard at The Shops at North Bridge, said that malls have become quieter in the dozen or so years he has worked in mall security, with the rise of online retailers. As for shoplifters, Johnson said there isn’t a single type of person to look out for — they can come from any background.

“I think good-hearted people see something they can’t afford and figure nothing is lost if they take something from the store,” Johnson said as he patrolled the mall, keeping an eye out for lost or suspicious items.

Between 2018 and 2023, most shoplifting in Chicago was reported in the downtown area, as well as in the Old Town, River North and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, according to a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-in-time-and-space-a-study-of-two-major-american-cities/" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;by the Council on Criminal Justice.

Newly sworn-in Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke this month lowered the threshold for charging retail theft as a felony in the county, which includes Chicago, from $1,000 to $300, aligning it with state law.

“It sends a signal that she’s taking it seriously,” Rob Karr, the president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told Stateline.

Nationally, retailers are worried about organized theft. The National Retail Federation’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://nrf.com/research/national-retail-security-survey-2023" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;attributed 36% of the $112.1 billion in lost merchandise in 2022 to “external theft,” which includes organized retail crime.

Organized retail crime typically involves coordinated efforts by groups to steal items with the intent to resell them for a profit. Commonly targeted goods include high-demand items such as baby formula, laundry detergent and electronics.

The same report found that retailers’ fear of violence associated with theft also is on the rise, with more retailers taking a “hands-off approach.” More than 41% of respondents to the organization’s 2023 survey, up from 38% in 2022, reported that no employee is authorized to try and stop a shoplifter.

The federation’s reporting has come under criticism. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/business/organized-shoplifting-retail-crime-theft-retraction.html" target="_blank">retracted</a>&nbsp;a claim last year that attributed nearly half of lost merchandise in 2021 to organized retail crime; such theft accounted for only about 5%. The group announced this fall it will no longer publish its reports on lost merchandise.

Policy experts say shoplifting and organized retail theft can significantly harm critical industries, drive up costs for consumers and reduce sales tax revenue for states. Those worries have driven recent state-level action to boost penalties for shoplifting.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/08/16/governor-newsom-signs-landmark-legislative-package-cracking-down-on-retail-crime-and-property-theft/" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;a package of 10 bills into law in August aimed at addressing retail theft. These measures make repeated theft convictions a felony, allow aggregation of crimes across multiple counties to be charged as a single felony, and permit police to arrest suspects for retail theft even if the crime wasn’t witnessed directly by an officer. In September, Newsom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/12/governor-newsom-signs-smash-and-grab-bill-to-strengthen-felony-sentences-for-large-scale-theft-offenses/" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;an additional bill that imposes steeper felony penalties for large-scale theft offenses.

California voters also overwhelmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/11/19/even-blue-states-are-embracing-a-tougher-approach-to-crime/" target="_blank">approved</a>&nbsp;a ballot measure in November that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes. Under the new law, people who are convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value.

“With these changes in the law, really it comes down to making sure that law enforcement is showing up to our stores in a timely manner, and that the prosecutors and the [district attorneys] are prosecuting,” Rachel Michelin, the president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, told Stateline. “That’s the only way we’re going to deter retail theft in our communities.”

In New Jersey, a bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A4755" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;making its way through the legislature would increase penalties for leading a shoplifting ring and allow extended sentences for repeat offenders.

“This bill is going after a formally organized band of criminals that deliver such destruction to a critical business in our community. We have to act. We have to create a deterrence,” Democratic Assemblymember Joseph Danielsen, one of the bill’s prime sponsors, said in an interview with Stateline.

The legislation would allow extended sentences for people convicted of shoplifting three times within 10 years or within 10 years of their release from prison, and would increase penalties to 10 to 20 years in prison for leading a retail crime ring.

The bill also would allow law enforcement to aggregate the value of stolen goods over the course of a year to charge serial shoplifters with more serious offenses. Additionally, the bill would increase penalties for assaults committed against retail workers, and would require retailers to train employees on detecting gift card scams.

Maryland legislators considered a similar&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0100?ys=2024rs" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;during this year’s legislative session that would have defined organized retail theft and made it a felony.

The bill didn’t make it out of committee, but Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, said the group hopes to reintroduce the bill next year and propose another that would target gift card fraud.

Better, more thorough reporting from retailers is essential to truly understanding shoplifting trends and its full impact, in part because some retail-related crimes, such as gift card fraud, are frequently underreported, according to Lopez, of the Council on Criminal Justice.

Measuring crime across jurisdictions is&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2023/10/27/politicians-love-to-cite-crime-data-its-often-wrong/" target="_blank">notoriously difficult</a>, and the council does not track organized retail theft specifically because law enforcement typically doesn’t identify it as such at the time of arrest — if an arrest even occurs — requiring further investigation, Lopez said.

The council’s latest report found conflicting trends in the FBI’s national crime reporting systems.

The FBI’s older system, the Summary Reporting System, known as SRS, suggests that reported shoplifting hadn’t gone up through 2023, remaining on par with 2019 levels. In contrast, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, shows a 93% increase in shoplifting over the same period.

The discrepancy may stem from the type of law enforcement agencies that have adopted the latter system, Lopez said. Some of those communities may have higher levels of shoplifting or other types of property crime, which could be what is driving the spike, Lopez said.

Despite the discrepancies and varying levels of shoplifting across the country, Lopez said, it’s important for retailers to report these incidents, as doing so could help allocate law enforcement resources more effectively.

“All law enforcement agencies have limited resources, and having the most accurate information allows for not just better policy, but also better implementation — better use of strategic resources,” Lopez said.

<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734810837526.png" alt="Photo courtesy WBZ" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WBZ</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/amandahernandez/">AMANDA HERNANDEZ</a>CHICAGO — Shoplifting rates in the three largest U.S. cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://counciloncj.org/between-the-aisles-a-closer-look-at-shoplifting-trends/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;last month from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice.The sharp rise in retail theft in recent years has made shoplifting a hot-button issue, especially for politicians looking to address public safety concerns in their communities.Since 2020, when viral videos of smash-and-grab robberies flooded social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have expressed fears that crime is out of control. Polls show that perceptions have improved recently, but a majority of Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/652763/smaller-majorities-say-crime-serious-increasing.aspx" target="_blank">still say</a>&nbsp;crime is worse than in previous years.“There is this sense of brazenness that people have — they can just walk in and steal stuff. … That hurts the consumer, and it hurts the company,” said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, in an interview.“That’s just the world we live in,” he said. “We need to get people to realize that you have to obey the law.”At least eight states — Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New York and Vermont — passed a total of 14 bills in 2024 aimed at tackling retail theft, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures range from redefining retail crimes and adjusting penalties to allowing cross-county aggregation of theft charges and protecting retail workers.Major retailers have responded to rising theft since 2020 by locking up merchandise, upgrading security cameras, hiring private security firms and even closing stores.Still, the report indicates that shoplifting remains a stubborn problem.In Chicago, the rate of reported shoplifting incidents remained below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2023 — but surged by 46% from January to October 2024 compared with the same period a year ago.Shoplifting in Los Angeles was 87% higher in 2023 than in 2019. Police reports of shoplifting from January to October 2024 were lower than in 2023. Los Angeles adopted a new crime reporting system in March 2024, which has likely led to an undercount, according to the report.In New York, shoplifting rose 48% from 2021 to 2022, then dipped slightly last year. Still, the shoplifting rate was 55% higher in 2023 than in 2019. This year, the shoplifting rate increased by 3% from January to September compared with the same period last year.While shoplifting rates tend to rise in November and December, which coincides with in-person holiday shopping, data from the Council on Criminal Justice’s sample of 23 U.S. cities shows higher rates in the first half of 2024 compared with 2023.Researchers found it surprising that rates went up despite retailers doing more to fight shoplifting. Experts say the spike might reflect improved reporting efforts rather than a spike in theft.“As retailers have been paying more attention to shoplifting, we would not expect the numbers to increase,” said Ernesto Lopez, the report’s author and a senior research specialist with the council. “It makes it a challenge to understand the trends of shoplifting.”<h2>Impact on retailers, communities</h2>In downtown Chicago on a recent early afternoon, potential shoppers shuffled through the streets and nearby malls, browsing for gifts ahead of the holidays.Edward Johnson, a guard at The Shops at North Bridge, said that malls have become quieter in the dozen or so years he has worked in mall security, with the rise of online retailers. As for shoplifters, Johnson said there isn’t a single type of person to look out for — they can come from any background.“I think good-hearted people see something they can’t afford and figure nothing is lost if they take something from the store,” Johnson said as he patrolled the mall, keeping an eye out for lost or suspicious items.Between 2018 and 2023, most shoplifting in Chicago was reported in the downtown area, as well as in the Old Town, River North and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, according to a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-in-time-and-space-a-study-of-two-major-american-cities/" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;by the Council on Criminal Justice.Newly sworn-in Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke this month lowered the threshold for charging retail theft as a felony in the county, which includes Chicago, from $1,000 to $300, aligning it with state law.“It sends a signal that she’s taking it seriously,” Rob Karr, the president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told Stateline.Nationally, retailers are worried about organized theft. The National Retail Federation’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://nrf.com/research/national-retail-security-survey-2023" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;attributed 36% of the $112.1 billion in lost merchandise in 2022 to “external theft,” which includes organized retail crime.Organized retail crime typically involves coordinated efforts by groups to steal items with the intent to resell them for a profit. Commonly targeted goods include high-demand items such as baby formula, laundry detergent and electronics.The same report found that retailers’ fear of violence associated with theft also is on the rise, with more retailers taking a “hands-off approach.” More than 41% of respondents to the organization’s 2023 survey, up from 38% in 2022, reported that no employee is authorized to try and stop a shoplifter.The federation’s reporting has come under criticism. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/business/organized-shoplifting-retail-crime-theft-retraction.html" target="_blank">retracted</a>&nbsp;a claim last year that attributed nearly half of lost merchandise in 2021 to organized retail crime; such theft accounted for only about 5%. The group announced this fall it will no longer publish its reports on lost merchandise.<h2>Increased penalties</h2>Policy experts say shoplifting and organized retail theft can significantly harm critical industries, drive up costs for consumers and reduce sales tax revenue for states. Those worries have driven recent state-level action to boost penalties for shoplifting.California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/08/16/governor-newsom-signs-landmark-legislative-package-cracking-down-on-retail-crime-and-property-theft/" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;a package of 10 bills into law in August aimed at addressing retail theft. These measures make repeated theft convictions a felony, allow aggregation of crimes across multiple counties to be charged as a single felony, and permit police to arrest suspects for retail theft even if the crime wasn’t witnessed directly by an officer. In September, Newsom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/12/governor-newsom-signs-smash-and-grab-bill-to-strengthen-felony-sentences-for-large-scale-theft-offenses/" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;an additional bill that imposes steeper felony penalties for large-scale theft offenses.California voters also overwhelmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/11/19/even-blue-states-are-embracing-a-tougher-approach-to-crime/" target="_blank">approved</a>&nbsp;a ballot measure in November that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes. Under the new law, people who are convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value.“With these changes in the law, really it comes down to making sure that law enforcement is showing up to our stores in a timely manner, and that the prosecutors and the [district attorneys] are prosecuting,” Rachel Michelin, the president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, told Stateline. “That’s the only way we’re going to deter retail theft in our communities.”In New Jersey, a bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A4755" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;making its way through the legislature would increase penalties for leading a shoplifting ring and allow extended sentences for repeat offenders.“This bill is going after a formally organized band of criminals that deliver such destruction to a critical business in our community. We have to act. We have to create a deterrence,” Democratic Assemblymember Joseph Danielsen, one of the bill’s prime sponsors, said in an interview with Stateline.The legislation would allow extended sentences for people convicted of shoplifting three times within 10 years or within 10 years of their release from prison, and would increase penalties to 10 to 20 years in prison for leading a retail crime ring.The bill also would allow law enforcement to aggregate the value of stolen goods over the course of a year to charge serial shoplifters with more serious offenses. Additionally, the bill would increase penalties for assaults committed against retail workers, and would require retailers to train employees on detecting gift card scams.Maryland legislators considered a similar&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0100?ys=2024rs" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;during this year’s legislative session that would have defined organized retail theft and made it a felony.The bill didn’t make it out of committee, but Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, said the group hopes to reintroduce the bill next year and propose another that would target gift card fraud.<h2>Retail theft data</h2>Better, more thorough reporting from retailers is essential to truly understanding shoplifting trends and its full impact, in part because some retail-related crimes, such as gift card fraud, are frequently underreported, according to Lopez, of the Council on Criminal Justice.Measuring crime across jurisdictions is&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2023/10/27/politicians-love-to-cite-crime-data-its-often-wrong/" target="_blank">notoriously difficult</a>, and the council does not track organized retail theft specifically because law enforcement typically doesn’t identify it as such at the time of arrest — if an arrest even occurs — requiring further investigation, Lopez said.The council’s latest report found conflicting trends in the FBI’s national crime reporting systems.The FBI’s older system, the Summary Reporting System, known as SRS, suggests that reported shoplifting hadn’t gone up through 2023, remaining on par with 2019 levels. In contrast, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, shows a 93% increase in shoplifting over the same period.The discrepancy may stem from the type of law enforcement agencies that have adopted the latter system, Lopez said. Some of those communities may have higher levels of shoplifting or other types of property crime, which could be what is driving the spike, Lopez said.Despite the discrepancies and varying levels of shoplifting across the country, Lopez said, it’s important for retailers to report these incidents, as doing so could help allocate law enforcement resources more effectively.“All law enforcement agencies have limited resources, and having the most accurate information allows for not just better policy, but also better implementation — better use of strategic resources,” Lopez said.<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

New shoplifting data explains why they’re locking up the toothpaste

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.

On Christmas Eve, police were dispatched to a residence in the 500 block of Kenneth Lane in Belton regarding shots fired.  Upon their arrival, officers found that a residence had been shot several times, but no injuries occurred. 

 This was the third such incident involving this residence within the last week. Officers began their investigation and were able to determine a suspect and suspect vehicle description which was broadcast to surrounding agencies. 

 A short time later, officers were notified that the suspect vehicle had been located at a nursing facility in Raymore.  Belton officers responded to the facility and, with the assistance of Raymore officers, were able to identify and locate the driver of the suspect vehicle. 

 This individual was taken into custody for further investigation.  Officers were also able to locate and recover a weapon of the same caliber used in the shooting at the scene.

On Wednesday, the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office charged 21-year-old Pharrell Canady of Belton with three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and three counts of Armed Criminal Action in relation to these incidents.  Pharrell is currently being held in the Cass County Jail on no bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735300274840.png" alt="Canady- photo Cass County" />
 <figcaption>Canady- photo Cass County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.On Christmas Eve, police were dispatched to a residence in the 500 block of Kenneth Lane in Belton regarding shots fired. Upon their arrival, officers found that a residence had been shot several times, but no injuries occurred. This was the third such incident involving this residence within the last week. Officers began their investigation and were able to determine a suspect and suspect vehicle description which was broadcast to surrounding agencies. A short time later, officers were notified that the suspect vehicle had been located at a nursing facility in Raymore. Belton officers responded to the facility and, with the assistance of Raymore officers, were able to identify and locate the driver of the suspect vehicle. This individual was taken into custody for further investigation. Officers were also able to locate and recover a weapon of the same caliber used in the shooting at the scene.On Wednesday, the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office charged 21-year-old Pharrell Canady of Belton with three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and three counts of Armed Criminal Action in relation to these incidents. Pharrell is currently being held in the Cass County Jail on no bond.

Man accused of shooting at KC area home Christmas Eve

DAYTON, Ohio – A former Kansas doctor was arrested by federal agents this week and charged with making false statements related to a 1989 rape, according to the United State's Attorney.

 Officials ask anyone with information regarding this or any other similar rape to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

It is alleged that Frederick Louis Tanzer, 66, knowingly made a false statement to FBI agents. His current home on Kenwood Road in&nbsp;Sycamore Township, Ohio and vehicles were searched and Tanzer appeared in federal court in Dayton following his arrest.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Tanzer was recently identified as the prime suspect in the cold-case rape. In recent months, agents collected DNA evidence from a Starbucks cup that Tanzer discarded at a local BMV. The DNA extracted from Tanzer’s coffee cup was confirmed by a forensic laboratory as a match to the DNA the rapist had left at the 1989 crime scene.

It is alleged that Tanzer made several materially false statements to federal investigators when approached today, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date she was raped.

Tanzer is a medical doctor who has lived and practiced medicine in Kansas, Colorado and Ohio.

The affidavit details that on Aug. 1, 1989, the victim was violently raped in her condominium on Creighton Place in Cincinnati after arriving home from work.

Federal law enforcement officials ask the public to consider these circumstances of the rape and to contact the FBI with any similar information:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734724913138.png" alt="Tanzer photo Shelby County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Tanzer photo Shelby County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>DAYTON, Ohio – A former Kansas doctor was arrested by federal agents this week and charged with making false statements related to a 1989 rape, according to the United State's Attorney. Officials ask anyone with information regarding this or any other similar rape to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.It is alleged that Frederick Louis Tanzer, 66, knowingly made a false statement to FBI agents. His current home on Kenwood Road in&nbsp;Sycamore Township, Ohio and vehicles were searched and Tanzer appeared in federal court in Dayton following his arrest.According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Tanzer was recently identified as the prime suspect in the cold-case rape. In recent months, agents collected DNA evidence from a Starbucks cup that Tanzer discarded at a local BMV. The DNA extracted from Tanzer’s coffee cup was confirmed by a forensic laboratory as a match to the DNA the rapist had left at the 1989 crime scene.It is alleged that Tanzer made several materially false statements to federal investigators when approached today, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date she was raped.Tanzer is a medical doctor who has lived and practiced medicine in Kansas, Colorado and Ohio.The affidavit details that on Aug. 1, 1989, the victim was violently raped in her condominium on Creighton Place in Cincinnati after arriving home from work.Federal law enforcement officials ask the public to consider these circumstances of the rape and to contact the FBI with any similar information:<ul>
 <li>When the victim arrived home, she noticed an odor that smelled to her like brewed tea or burnt marijuana.</li><li>The rapist was dressed from head to toe in black Lycra, including black gloves and a face mask. He had a black gym bag with him.</li><li>The assailant held a knife to the victim’s throat.</li><li>The rapist used white surgical tape from the gym bag to wrap around the victim’s eyes and head. He used stockings and panty hose from the victim’s dresser to bind her hands and feet to the headboard and footboard of her bed.</li><li>The rapist cut or tore the victim’s clothing and used Vaseline.</li><li>The rapist assaulted the victim vaginally, orally and anally. In between bouts of sexual conduct, the assailant used a cloth to wipe the victim’s mouth and genital areas.</li><li>The rapist said nothing during the entire encounter. He occasionally took breaks from sexually assaulting the victim while the victim remained tied to her bed.</li><li>The rapist listened to and erased answering machine messages. He looked through papers in the victim’s living room and rummaged through her purse. He unplugged and/or disconnected telephones.</li><li>On the handset of the telephone in the bedroom, the rapist taped a piece of newspaper that had been cut from the paper on the couch in the victim’s living room and wrote, “No police or I’ll be back Mis [sic] [name of victim’s employer]”</li><li>The victim described the rapist as white, with dark brown hair, approximately six feet tall with a thin or athletic build.</li><li>The assault took place over the course of more than five and a half hours.</li>
 </ul>

Search continues for victims of former Kan. doctor accused of rape

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City area teacher has been charged in federal court on charges related to child pornography.

Seth Brummond, 37, of Greenwood, Missouri, who teaches at  Lee’s Summit West High School, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, according to the Untied State's Attorney.

The federal criminal complaint charges Brummond with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography from September 1 to December 18, 2024.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Lee’s Summit police officers received a Cyber Tip on Sept. 8, 2024, that a user, later identified as Brummond, had uploaded 12 videos of child pornography via the Kik Messenger application.

On Dec. 19, Lee’s Summit law enforcement officers placed Brummond’s residence under surveillance for the purpose of serving federal search warrants. Officers followed Brummond when he left his house and at about 6 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop and placed Brummond under arrest. Officers seized his iPhone as well as a computer tower that was in the trunk of his car.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735160218938.png" alt="Brummond-photo Lee's Summit Police" />
 <figcaption>Brummond-photo Lee's Summit Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City area teacher has been charged in federal court on charges related to child pornography.Seth Brummond, 37, of Greenwood, Missouri, who teaches at Lee’s Summit West High School, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, according to the Untied State's Attorney.The federal criminal complaint charges Brummond with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography from September 1 to December 18, 2024.According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Lee’s Summit police officers received a Cyber Tip on Sept. 8, 2024, that a user, later identified as Brummond, had uploaded 12 videos of child pornography via the Kik Messenger application.On Dec. 19, Lee’s Summit law enforcement officers placed Brummond’s residence under surveillance for the purpose of serving federal search warrants. Officers followed Brummond when he left his house and at about 6 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop and placed Brummond under arrest. Officers seized his iPhone as well as a computer tower that was in the trunk of his car.

KC area teacher accused of uploading child porn videos via Kik app

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA </a>

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas official who is an informal adviser to President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on immigration issues doesn't expect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-priorities-deportations-drilling-ukraine-6747c6e64b0440978f59450b928f61d1">mass deportations</a>&nbsp;to prompt arrests of migrants at sensitive locations such as schools and churches.

But Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach does expect Trump to take action that will spark a legal challenge over the citizenship status of children born in the U.S. to immigrants living in the country illegally. He also expects Trump to encourage local and state law enforcement officers to help with efforts to arrest and detain migrants.

Kobach has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6153978f60ee4289b7fd4da8b956516a">for two decades been one of the most influential lawyers</a>&nbsp;in the Republican movement to restrict illegal immigration. He is also a longtime Trump supporter who could be a key ally given federal immigration authorities' need for state and local cooperation to carry out Trump's promise of the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

He said Wednesday that he's in regular contact with Trump's team, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">Tom Homan,</a>&nbsp;Trump's pick for border czar, and Stephen Miller, incoming deputy White House chief of staff for policy. He made his comments during an interview with The Associated Press. Here are excerpts:

Is it realistic to try to remove millions of immigrants?

Critics of Trump’s mass deportation plans argue that he’s promising to remove millions of immigrants from the U.S. and that’s logistically not possible. But Kobach and other Trump allies think only a portion of those migrants would have to be deported for the effort to succeed.

KOBACH: “Once there’s a massive enforcement effort going on, then a lot of people start leaving on their own.”

“You can put a multiplier on that number, and it’ll be a much greater number. They will start leaving on their own because they don’t want to get arrested. They want to leave on their own terms, and so I don’t know — we don’t know — what that multiplier number is going to be, but there will be one.”

What about arrests at sensitive locations?

Immigrant rights advocates worry the Trump administration will rescind a longstanding policy of avoiding arrests of migrants at sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals and houses of worship.

KOBACH: “I haven’t heard this. ... First of all, I don’t think that you are likely to see K-12 students being arrested. It’s going to be the adults that are going to be the focus of the removals."

“There are some places that are better to make an arrest than others. There are reasons why the policy of a police department is different with regard to a high-speed chase in a neighborhood versus a high-speed chase on a highway. So I think they’re probably going to have to make decisions as to which ones involve the least risk to the public.”

Is an attempt to end birthright citizenship coming?

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-20919d26029cf0f98ecb0dc7f90a066b">Birthright citizenship</a>&nbsp;means that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, whatever the legal status of their parents. Trump has promised to end it, though others say the 14th Amendment enshrines it in the U.S. Constitution.

KOBACH: “Whatever the Trump administration does will certainly be litigated because it’s one of those hot-button issues.”

“I believe that the Trump administration has every intention of addressing this issue, in his second term.”

How would state and local officials help?

The Trump administration would need the help of state and local officials in its efforts to deport millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

A provision in federal immigration law allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to make agreements with state and law enforcement agencies to deputize and train officers to arrest migrants.

KOBACH: “They can provide a force multiplier to the federal government, and I think that is the biggest and best thing that the states and counties can do to help. ... The point is, it casts a daily net.”

“I don’t see how a massive deportation program can possibly succeed without it."

President Joe Biden's administration cut the number of beds that ICE had for detaining immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. However, in August, the agency issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/california-donald-trump-donald-trump-es-immigration-u-s-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-080d529d662ad626e369d7f3757cefdc">requests for information</a>&nbsp;about the potential for new detention centers in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington, documents show.

Trump could seek new contracts with counties to keep immigrants in their jails, and Kobach said he's previously worked as a lawyer for some Texas counties with bigger jails than they need for local offenders.

KOBACH: "The Trump administration, the people in the immigration sphere, are well aware of this problem, and I've talked to them."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734536002113.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA </a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas official who is an informal adviser to President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on immigration issues doesn't expect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-priorities-deportations-drilling-ukraine-6747c6e64b0440978f59450b928f61d1">mass deportations</a>&nbsp;to prompt arrests of migrants at sensitive locations such as schools and churches.But Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach does expect Trump to take action that will spark a legal challenge over the citizenship status of children born in the U.S. to immigrants living in the country illegally. He also expects Trump to encourage local and state law enforcement officers to help with efforts to arrest and detain migrants.Kobach has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6153978f60ee4289b7fd4da8b956516a">for two decades been one of the most influential lawyers</a>&nbsp;in the Republican movement to restrict illegal immigration. He is also a longtime Trump supporter who could be a key ally given federal immigration authorities' need for state and local cooperation to carry out Trump's promise of the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.He said Wednesday that he's in regular contact with Trump's team, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">Tom Homan,</a>&nbsp;Trump's pick for border czar, and Stephen Miller, incoming deputy White House chief of staff for policy. He made his comments during an interview with The Associated Press. Here are excerpts:<h2>Is it realistic to try to remove millions of immigrants?</h2>Critics of Trump’s mass deportation plans argue that he’s promising to remove millions of immigrants from the U.S. and that’s logistically not possible. But Kobach and other Trump allies think only a portion of those migrants would have to be deported for the effort to succeed.KOBACH: “Once there’s a massive enforcement effort going on, then a lot of people start leaving on their own.”“You can put a multiplier on that number, and it’ll be a much greater number. They will start leaving on their own because they don’t want to get arrested. They want to leave on their own terms, and so I don’t know — we don’t know — what that multiplier number is going to be, but there will be one.”<h2>What about arrests at sensitive locations?</h2>Immigrant rights advocates worry the Trump administration will rescind a longstanding policy of avoiding arrests of migrants at sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals and houses of worship.KOBACH: “I haven’t heard this. ... First of all, I don’t think that you are likely to see K-12 students being arrested. It’s going to be the adults that are going to be the focus of the removals."“There are some places that are better to make an arrest than others. There are reasons why the policy of a police department is different with regard to a high-speed chase in a neighborhood versus a high-speed chase on a highway. So I think they’re probably going to have to make decisions as to which ones involve the least risk to the public.”<h2>Is an attempt to end birthright citizenship coming?</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-20919d26029cf0f98ecb0dc7f90a066b">Birthright citizenship</a>&nbsp;means that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, whatever the legal status of their parents. Trump has promised to end it, though others say the 14th Amendment enshrines it in the U.S. Constitution.KOBACH: “Whatever the Trump administration does will certainly be litigated because it’s one of those hot-button issues.”“I believe that the Trump administration has every intention of addressing this issue, in his second term.”<h2>How would state and local officials help?</h2>The Trump administration would need the help of state and local officials in its efforts to deport millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.A provision in federal immigration law allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to make agreements with state and law enforcement agencies to deputize and train officers to arrest migrants.KOBACH: “They can provide a force multiplier to the federal government, and I think that is the biggest and best thing that the states and counties can do to help. ... The point is, it casts a daily net.”“I don’t see how a massive deportation program can possibly succeed without it."<h2>Where would immigrants be detained?</h2>President Joe Biden's administration cut the number of beds that ICE had for detaining immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. However, in August, the agency issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/california-donald-trump-donald-trump-es-immigration-u-s-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-080d529d662ad626e369d7f3757cefdc">requests for information</a>&nbsp;about the potential for new detention centers in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington, documents show.Trump could seek new contracts with counties to keep immigrants in their jails, and Kobach said he's previously worked as a lawyer for some Texas counties with bigger jails than they need for local offenders.KOBACH: "The Trump administration, the people in the immigration sphere, are well aware of this problem, and I've talked to them."

Kan. Attorney General explains how mass deportations could work

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ryan-wesley-routh">man accused of attempting to assassinate</a>&nbsp;President-elect Donald Trump in South Florida won't be tried until September 2025, a federal judge ruled this week.

Ryan Routh's trial will begin Sept. 8 instead of the previously scheduled Feb. 10, 2025 start date, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said in an order released on Monday.

Routh, 58, a Hawaii resident, has pleaded not guilty.

Routh's attorneys&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-assassination-attempt-routh-4d1772992e6897648f07da7c120a4a18">had asked the judge</a>&nbsp;to delay the trial until no earlier than next December, saying they needed more time to review the evidence against him and decide whether to mount an insanity defense.

Routh owned 17 cellphones and numerous other electronic devices, and there are hundreds of hours of police body camera and surveillance videos that have been provided to the defense, Routh's attorneys argued during a hearing two weeks ago in Fort Pierce, Florida.

In her order, Cannon said she wanted to err on the side of providing more time given the seriousness of the allegations, but that starting the trial no earlier than December would be an excessive amount. A September trial date didn't amount to an “unreasonable delay,” she said.

The judge said that any insanity defense or any request related to Routh's mental competency must be made by early February. Any visit to the scene of the assassination attempt must be made by the end of February.

Prosecutors say Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024 at his West Palm Beach country club. Before Trump came into view, Routh was spotted by a Secret Service agent. Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot. Prosecutors say he left behind a note describing his intentions.

He was arrested a short time later driving on a nearby interstate.

Routh’s charge of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate carries a potential life sentence in the event of a conviction. Other charges include assaulting a federal officer and three firearms counts. He is being held without bail at the federal jail in Miami.

Routh’s arrest came two months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">Trump was shot and wounded</a>&nbsp;in the ear in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-secret-service-assassination-attempt-campaign-7dca5e30730287f46cceaa35437f0d47">The Secret Service acknowledged failings</a>&nbsp;leading up to that shooting but has said security worked as it should have to thwart the potential Florida attack.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726536262473.png" alt="Routh during his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Routh during his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ryan-wesley-routh">man accused of attempting to assassinate</a>&nbsp;President-elect Donald Trump in South Florida won't be tried until September 2025, a federal judge ruled this week.Ryan Routh's trial will begin Sept. 8 instead of the previously scheduled Feb. 10, 2025 start date, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said in an order released on Monday.Routh, 58, a Hawaii resident, has pleaded not guilty.Routh's attorneys&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-assassination-attempt-routh-4d1772992e6897648f07da7c120a4a18">had asked the judge</a>&nbsp;to delay the trial until no earlier than next December, saying they needed more time to review the evidence against him and decide whether to mount an insanity defense.Routh owned 17 cellphones and numerous other electronic devices, and there are hundreds of hours of police body camera and surveillance videos that have been provided to the defense, Routh's attorneys argued during a hearing two weeks ago in Fort Pierce, Florida.In her order, Cannon said she wanted to err on the side of providing more time given the seriousness of the allegations, but that starting the trial no earlier than December would be an excessive amount. A September trial date didn't amount to an “unreasonable delay,” she said.The judge said that any insanity defense or any request related to Routh's mental competency must be made by early February. Any visit to the scene of the assassination attempt must be made by the end of February.Prosecutors say Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024 at his West Palm Beach country club. Before Trump came into view, Routh was spotted by a Secret Service agent. Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot. Prosecutors say he left behind a note describing his intentions.He was arrested a short time later driving on a nearby interstate.Routh’s charge of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate carries a potential life sentence in the event of a conviction. Other charges include assaulting a federal officer and three firearms counts. He is being held without bail at the federal jail in Miami.Routh’s arrest came two months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">Trump was shot and wounded</a>&nbsp;in the ear in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-secret-service-assassination-attempt-campaign-7dca5e30730287f46cceaa35437f0d47">The Secret Service acknowledged failings</a>&nbsp;leading up to that shooting but has said security worked as it should have to thwart the potential Florida attack.

Judge issues new ruling against Trump would-be assassin

TOPEKA— The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Kansas City is asking for help to locate two wanted fugitives known for alleged sleight-of-hand thefts at jewelry stores, according to a statement from the ageney.

Authorities are searching for 53-year-old&nbsp;Vasile Sava&nbsp;and 54-year-old&nbsp;Onita Rostas.&nbsp;Authorities believe Sava and Rostas are married, and may be using a variety of aliases.

In January, Sava and Rostas were the subjects of arrest warrants, issued by United States District Court, District of Kansas, after being charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Sava and Rostas, along with other suspects, targeted multiple jewelry businesses, according to a statement from the FBI. The suspects would enter the stores in groups of two or more. One of the suspects would distract or separate the employees while another would remove, conceal, and ultimately make off with items of jewelry that had been on display. The FBI calls this practice a sleight-of-hand distraction theft.

The thieves would then take the stolen jewelry elsewhere in the U.S. to be sold, prosecutors said.

The jewelry stores in Kansas Marks Jewelers in Lawrence; Calhoun's in Topeka, Venable Jewlers in McPherson and G. Thomas in Manhattan.

The pair may be living in or operating across multiple states including California, Texas, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia.

It is unknown if the pair has ties to the Kansas City area.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact any law enforcement agency, or reach out to the FBI directly through&nbsp;<a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">this tip website</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734634218307.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA— The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Kansas City is asking for help to locate two wanted fugitives known for alleged sleight-of-hand thefts at jewelry stores, according to a statement from the ageney.Authorities are searching for 53-year-old&nbsp;Vasile Sava&nbsp;and 54-year-old&nbsp;Onita Rostas.&nbsp;Authorities believe Sava and Rostas are married, and may be using a variety of aliases.In January, Sava and Rostas were the subjects of arrest warrants, issued by United States District Court, District of Kansas, after being charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734634248605.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Sava and Rostas, along with other suspects, targeted multiple jewelry businesses, according to a statement from the FBI. The suspects would enter the stores in groups of two or more. One of the suspects would distract or separate the employees while another would remove, conceal, and ultimately make off with items of jewelry that had been on display. The FBI calls this practice a sleight-of-hand distraction theft.The thieves would then take the stolen jewelry elsewhere in the U.S. to be sold, prosecutors said.The jewelry stores in Kansas Marks Jewelers in Lawrence; Calhoun's in Topeka, Venable Jewlers in McPherson and G. Thomas in Manhattan.The pair may be living in or operating across multiple states including California, Texas, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia.It is unknown if the pair has ties to the Kansas City area.Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact any law enforcement agency, or reach out to the FBI directly through&nbsp;<a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">this tip website</a>

FBI: Search continues for Kan. jewelry store robbery suspects

KANSAS CITY—A nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Kansas City, Missouri has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child pornography.

Paul Robert Wyatt, 56, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on Tuesday, Dec. 17. 

The indictment was unsealed and made public&nbsp; following Wyatt’s arrest and initial court appearance.

Wyatt is employed as a nurse at the Kansas City V.A. Medical Center on Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo.

The federal indictment alleges that Wyatt distributed child pornography over the internet on Sept. 9, 2023. The indictment also charges Wyatt with one count of receiving child pornography on Oct. 12, 2023, and one count of possessing child pornography (which involved a victim under the age of 12) on Nov. 22, 2023.

KANSAS CITY—A nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Kansas City, Missouri has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child pornography.Paul Robert Wyatt, 56, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on Tuesday, Dec. 17. The indictment was unsealed and made public&nbsp; following Wyatt’s arrest and initial court appearance.Wyatt is employed as a nurse at the Kansas City V.A. Medical Center on Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo.The federal indictment alleges that Wyatt distributed child pornography over the internet on Sept. 9, 2023. The indictment also charges Wyatt with one count of receiving child pornography on Oct. 12, 2023, and one count of possessing child pornography (which involved a victim under the age of 12) on Nov. 22, 2023.

VA nurse in KC accused of having child porn involving a juvenile victim

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — A Kansas City, Missouri, man who pleaded guilty to entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and expects a pardon from President-elect Donald Trump will be allowed to attend Trump’s inauguration, a federal judge ordered Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presided over Trump’s election subversion case in the District of Columbia, granted Eric Lee Peterson’s request to attend the president-elect’s swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C., as well as a request to expand his local travel restrictions while on bond.

Peterson’s attorney Michael Bullotta argued in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25466047-petersonmotionleave/" target="_blank">motion</a>&nbsp;filed Tuesday that his client deserved the exceptions because he does not have a criminal record and “(h)is offense was entering and remaining in the Capitol for about 8 minutes without proper authorization.”

“Apart from being reasonable on their face, these two modification requests are even more appropriate in light of the incoming Trump administration’s confirmations that President Trump will fully pardon those in Mr. Peterson’s position on his first day in office on January 20, 2025. Thus, his scheduled sentencing hearing before this Court on January 27, 2025 will likely be rendered moot,” Bullotta wrote.

Trump repeatedly promised on the campaign trail to pardon the Jan. 6 defendants, whom he exalted as “patriots,” “warriors” and “hostages.”

The president-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-liz-cheney-mississippi-congressman-should-go-jail-jan-6-probe" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a Dec. 8 interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker” that he’s “going to be acting very quickly” to pardon the defendants on day one — though he indicated he might make exceptions “if somebody was radical, crazy.”

During that interview, Trump also threatened imprisonment for former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and current Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who together oversaw the congressional committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack.

Peterson pleaded guilty to knowingly and unlawfully entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, for which he faces up to one year in prison, plus a fine.

As part of the plea, he agreed to pay $500 in restitution toward the estimated $2.8 million in damages to the Capitol, according to court filings. Peterson also agreed to hand over to authorities access to all of his social media communication on and around the date of the riot.

Approximately 1,572 people faced federal charges following the attack on the Capitol that stopped Congress for hours from certifying the 2020 presidential election victory for Joe Biden.

Lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence evacuated to secured locations within the Capitol as rioters assaulted roughly 140 police officers and vandalized several parts of the building, including lawmakers’ offices.

Peterson is among the 996 defendants who pleaded guilty to charges, according to the latest Department of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/47-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank">data</a>.

Peterson appeared on both surveillance video from inside the Capitol and publicly available third-party video taken outside the building during the riot, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25466034-petersonstatementofoffense/" target="_blank">statement of offense</a>&nbsp;signed by Peterson on Oct. 29.

Peterson, in a pink t-shirt over a dark hooded sweatshirt, stood among the crowd of rioters outside the locked Rotunda doors “as the building alarm audibly blared from within the Capitol building,” according to the statement.

Further, the court filing states Peterson entered the building at 3:03 p.m. Eastern and “walked right by a police officer posted at the doors.”

While inside the Rotunda, where several U.S. Capitol Police were present, Peterson took cell phone photos. He exited the building at 3:11 p.m., but remained on the Capitol’s restricted Upper West Terrace afterward, according to the statement.

Peterson was arrested in early August and originally faced a total of four charges that included disorderly conduct and parading, picketing and demonstrating inside the Capitol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734701734862.png" alt="Eric Lee Peterson, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to knowingly and unlawfully entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. In this Department of Justice photo, he is shown during the U.S. Capitol attack. (Photo from U.S. Department of Justice court filing)" />
 <figcaption>Eric Lee Peterson, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to knowingly and unlawfully entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. In this Department of Justice photo, he is shown during the U.S. Capitol attack. (Photo from U.S. Department of Justice court filing)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — A Kansas City, Missouri, man who pleaded guilty to entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and expects a pardon from President-elect Donald Trump will be allowed to attend Trump’s inauguration, a federal judge ordered Thursday.U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presided over Trump’s election subversion case in the District of Columbia, granted Eric Lee Peterson’s request to attend the president-elect’s swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C., as well as a request to expand his local travel restrictions while on bond.Peterson’s attorney Michael Bullotta argued in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25466047-petersonmotionleave/" target="_blank">motion</a>&nbsp;filed Tuesday that his client deserved the exceptions because he does not have a criminal record and “(h)is offense was entering and remaining in the Capitol for about 8 minutes without proper authorization.”“Apart from being reasonable on their face, these two modification requests are even more appropriate in light of the incoming Trump administration’s confirmations that President Trump will fully pardon those in Mr. Peterson’s position on his first day in office on January 20, 2025. Thus, his scheduled sentencing hearing before this Court on January 27, 2025 will likely be rendered moot,” Bullotta wrote.Trump repeatedly promised on the campaign trail to pardon the Jan. 6 defendants, whom he exalted as “patriots,” “warriors” and “hostages.”The president-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-liz-cheney-mississippi-congressman-should-go-jail-jan-6-probe" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a Dec. 8 interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker” that he’s “going to be acting very quickly” to pardon the defendants on day one — though he indicated he might make exceptions “if somebody was radical, crazy.”During that interview, Trump also threatened imprisonment for former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and current Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who together oversaw the congressional committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack.Peterson pleaded guilty to knowingly and unlawfully entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, for which he faces up to one year in prison, plus a fine.As part of the plea, he agreed to pay $500 in restitution toward the estimated $2.8 million in damages to the Capitol, according to court filings. Peterson also agreed to hand over to authorities access to all of his social media communication on and around the date of the riot.Approximately 1,572 people faced federal charges following the attack on the Capitol that stopped Congress for hours from certifying the 2020 presidential election victory for Joe Biden.Lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence evacuated to secured locations within the Capitol as rioters assaulted roughly 140 police officers and vandalized several parts of the building, including lawmakers’ offices.Peterson is among the 996 defendants who pleaded guilty to charges, according to the latest Department of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/47-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank">data</a>.Peterson appeared on both surveillance video from inside the Capitol and publicly available third-party video taken outside the building during the riot, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25466034-petersonstatementofoffense/" target="_blank">statement of offense</a>&nbsp;signed by Peterson on Oct. 29.Peterson, in a pink t-shirt over a dark hooded sweatshirt, stood among the crowd of rioters outside the locked Rotunda doors “as the building alarm audibly blared from within the Capitol building,” according to the statement.Further, the court filing states Peterson entered the building at 3:03 p.m. Eastern and “walked right by a police officer posted at the doors.”While inside the Rotunda, where several U.S. Capitol Police were present, Peterson took cell phone photos. He exited the building at 3:11 p.m., but remained on the Capitol’s restricted Upper West Terrace afterward, according to the statement.Peterson was arrested in early August and originally faced a total of four charges that included disorderly conduct and parading, picketing and demonstrating inside the Capitol.

Jan. 6 defendant from KC allowed by court to attend Trump inauguration 

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged arson fire in Topeka and have made an arrest

Just after 3:30a.m. Monday crews&nbsp;from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a report fire at&nbsp;Capitol City Smoke &amp; Grocery 500 S.W. 6th Avenue, according to fire department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

 Upon arrival, firefighters found smoke and flames coming from a single-story business and were able to quickly extinguish the fire, keeping it contained to the business where it started. 

No occupants were located and no injuries were reported. Investigators determined the fire was&nbsp;intentionally set. As a result of the investigation, police arrested 38-year-old Derrick J. Martinez and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on one count of arson and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

The total estimated loss associated with the fire was approximately $7,500.&nbsp;Working smoke detectors were not located in the structure where the fire originated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734967280892.png" alt="Martinez-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Martinez-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged arson fire in Topeka and have made an arrestJust after 3:30a.m. Monday crews&nbsp;from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a report fire at&nbsp;Capitol City Smoke &amp; Grocery 500 S.W. 6th Avenue, according to fire department spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Upon arrival, firefighters found smoke and flames coming from a single-story business and were able to quickly extinguish the fire, keeping it contained to the business where it started. No occupants were located and no injuries were reported. Investigators determined the fire was&nbsp;intentionally set. As a result of the investigation, police arrested 38-year-old Derrick J. Martinez and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on one count of arson and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.The total estimated loss associated with the fire was approximately $7,500.&nbsp;Working smoke detectors were not located in the structure where the fire originated.

Man accused of starting fire at Kansas convenience store

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the shooting death of 39-year-old Kyce Barnes, whose body was&nbsp;was found in the trunk of a car&nbsp;in Wichita was back in court Monday for a preliminary hearing.

Daitrez Birch, 24, of Wichita plead guilty to the murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 8a.m. August 21, police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in a vacant lot located in the 8200 block of West Irving Street in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Officers were directed to a white four door Mercedes and discovered a victim later identified as Barnes in the trunk of the vehicle wrapped in blood-stained bedding with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body. His remains were transported to the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office for further examination.

During the investigation, detectives identified the Deluxe Motel at 8401 W. Kellogg Drive as the original crime scene.&nbsp;

Barnes had a long history of crime. He spent time in the Kansas Department of Corrections for drug convictions in Cowley County. He was released from prison in 2020.&nbsp; On August 20, police booked Barnes into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges that included possession of stolen property and drug possession, according to jail booking records. He was released from the Sedgwick County jail just after 3p.m. August 21.

Police in Wichita also arrested him in 2022 on requested charges of theft, violation of a protection order, domestic battery and failure to appear.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724854691982.png" alt="Birch photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Birch photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the shooting death of 39-year-old Kyce Barnes, whose body was&nbsp;was found in the trunk of a car&nbsp;in Wichita was back in court Monday for a preliminary hearing.Daitrez Birch, 24, of Wichita plead guilty to the murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724266152157.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 8a.m. August 21, police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in a vacant lot located in the 8200 block of West Irving Street in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.Officers were directed to a white four door Mercedes and discovered a victim later identified as Barnes in the trunk of the vehicle wrapped in blood-stained bedding with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body. His remains were transported to the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office for further examination.During the investigation, detectives identified the Deluxe Motel at 8401 W. Kellogg Drive as the original crime scene.&nbsp;Barnes had a long history of crime. He spent time in the Kansas Department of Corrections for drug convictions in Cowley County. He was released from prison in 2020.&nbsp; On August 20, police booked Barnes into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges that included possession of stolen property and drug possession, according to jail booking records. He was released from the Sedgwick County jail just after 3p.m. August 21.Police in Wichita also arrested him in 2022 on requested charges of theft, violation of a protection order, domestic battery and failure to appear.&nbsp;

Kan. suspect enters plea in death of body found in car trunk

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Travis Golden Jr., Failure to appear, arrested 12/20

Asia Suber, Failure to appear, arrested 12/20

Jacob Gullett, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 12/20

Kierra Thompson, Disorderly conduct, arrested 12/20

Mary Kay Spoore, Failure to appear, arrested 12/20

Rafael Martinez Jr., Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 12/21

Joshue Sichler, Driving while suspended, arrested 12/21

Kevin Harbaugh, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 12/21

Jacy Wilson, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest, arrested 12/21

Monica Heath, Failure to appear, arrested 12/21

Terella Diggins, Prohibiting drug paraphernalia, Possession of marijuana, arrested 12/22

Antwaan Williams, Domestic battery, Violation of a protection order, arrested 12/22

June Meredith, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 12/22

Regina Rossi, Violation of a protection order, arrested 12/22

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734977433872.jpeg" alt="Kody Duncan, Probation violation, arrested 12/20" />
 <figcaption>Kody Duncan, Probation violation, arrested 12/20</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734977466839.jpeg" alt="Helizabeth Beltran, DUI - Liquor or Drugs, arrested 12/22" />
 <figcaption>Helizabeth Beltran, DUI - Liquor or Drugs, arrested 12/22</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734977508674.jpeg" alt="Rafael Garcia, Assault, Domestic battery, arrested 12/22" />
 <figcaption>Rafael Garcia, Assault, Domestic battery, arrested 12/22</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734977544628.jpeg" alt="Malcolm Beckem, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of controlled substance, Failure to appear, arrested 12/22" />
 <figcaption>Malcolm Beckem, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of controlled substance, Failure to appear, arrested 12/22</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Travis Golden Jr., Failure to appear, arrested 12/20Asia Suber, Failure to appear, arrested 12/20Jacob Gullett, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 12/20Kierra Thompson, Disorderly conduct, arrested 12/20Mary Kay Spoore, Failure to appear, arrested 12/20Rafael Martinez Jr., Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 12/21Joshue Sichler, Driving while suspended, arrested 12/21Kevin Harbaugh, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 12/21Jacy Wilson, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest, arrested 12/21Monica Heath, Failure to appear, arrested 12/21Terella Diggins, Prohibiting drug paraphernalia, Possession of marijuana, arrested 12/22Antwaan Williams, Domestic battery, Violation of a protection order, arrested 12/22June Meredith, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 12/22Regina Rossi, Violation of a protection order, arrested 12/22Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos Dec. 23

We want to warn our community about a concerning scam circulating in our area. Scammers are spoofing the Junction City Police Department’s phone number and pretending to be a detective. Here’s how it works:

1️⃣ The scammer claims the victim has an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court or missing jury duty.

JC PD release--We want to warn our community about a concerning scam circulating in our area. Scammers are spoofing the Junction City Police Department’s phone number and pretending to be a detective. Here’s how it works:1️⃣ The scammer claims the victim has an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court or missing jury duty.2️⃣ . They insist the victim is under a court-issued gag order, which forbids them from discussing the situation with anyone.3️⃣ They demand immediate payment within 30 minutes to avoid arrest.4️⃣ Victims are instructed to send money via Western Union, Money Zone, or by purchasing gift cards (e.g., Walmart, Dillons) and providing the codes over the phone.5️⃣ Victims are told to wait 24 hours and bring a payment receipt to the police department to clear the warrant.REMEMBER:The Junction City Police Department will NEVER solicit money over the phone.Hang up immediately if someone calls making these claims—it is a scam!Protect yourself by verifying any suspicious calls directly with us at (785) 762-5912.Please spread the word and help us protect our community. Stay vigilant!