By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Del Rio police made one arrest and recovered $9,000 in cash after arresting a clerk accused of taking the money from a register at a local convenience store.
DRPD Sgt. Jesus Galindo said DRPD Officer Jacob Valadez was dispatched to the Stripes convenience store, 1602 Veterans Blvd., Oct. 9 after police received a call about money missing from the store’s register.
“Upon further investigation, a register at the business was found to have been pried open with hand tools, and through review of security camera footage, it was found that an employee was seen putting money into her bag and leaving the store,” Galindo said.
“Based on that, a city-wide search ensued, seeking the woman and her vehicle, a tan Ford Expedition. Then a second call came out, from the Minit-Mart convenience store, 106 Dr. Fermin Calderon Blvd., regarding a woman with a large amount of money,” Galindo said.
He said the description of the vehicle from the second call matched the description of the vehicle being driven by the Stripes employee.
“The woman’s car was subsequently located at the Border Federal Credit Union, 600 East Gibbs St., going through the drive-through, and the woman had just deposited a large amount of cash, over $7,000,” Galindo said.
“On her person, in her possession, there was an additional $2,000,” Galindo added.
He said DRPD Officer Michael Palmer located the woman and her car at the credit union.
Police arrested Vanesa Unate, 23, 1303 E. First St., and charged her with theft, over or equal to $2,500, less than $30,000, a state jail felony.
Galindo said all of the cash involved was recovered.
He noted DRPD Chief Frank Ramirez was doing a ride-along with the department’s 1600 shift when the incident and arrest occurred.
“He was actually paired up with the officer who was dispatched, so he was there for the whole thing, from the initial report,” Galindo said.
He said the incident remains under investigation.
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