APD Converges on Three Fraud Suspects at Local Hotel
By: APD Press Release
Updated: January 30, 2013
On January 29 at 9:42 p.m., the Abilene Police Department (APD) was contacted by a victim that reported the burglary of her vehicle at a hotel in the 4300 block of Ridgemont Drive. Shortly after receiving this call, at about 10:25 p.m., Officer Steffen Hartness with the Patrol Division responded to a theft call at a grocery store in the 4400 block of Buffalo Gap Road. The calling party had advised APD dispatch about a series of unusual circumstances, including the observation that a male subject had entered the store desiring access to their bathroom while bleeding heavily from his arm. Two other subjects, a male and a female, had also entered the store and were observed shopping.
The two shoppers were later seen with the male subject that had been bleeding from his arm. When these subjects attempted to pay for merchandise valued at approximately $800, credit cards utilized for payment were declined. The subjects left the store without the merchandise, leaving the store staff suspicious. A vigilant staff member observed the subjects get into a vehicle and obtained valuable identifying information about the car and the description of these subjects. Another suspicious circumstance involved the abandonment of a few pieces of identification that were left behind. The ID cards located by the store staff also had blood on them.
Around this same time, a victim of another motor vehicle burglary had called APD dispatch about her vehicle being burglarized at an apartment complex in the 4500 block of Ridgemont Drive. As responding officers began piecing the circumstances together, they learned that the ID's located at the grocery store belonged to the burglary victim at the hotel parking lot. Officers converged to the area and located the vehicle that had left the grocery store with the three subjects. This vehicle was parked at the hotel. Their preliminary investigation took them inside the hotel in the 4300 block of Ridgemont Drive where all three subjects were located inside a hotel room. Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division were summoned to assist.
Detectives quickly realized that they were dealing with multiple suspects and crime scenes. The investigation led detectives to make application for evidentiary search warrants for a hotel room, the suspect's vehicle, and to collect DNA from each of the suspects. The search warrants were signed by a magistrate and executed early Wednesday morning, January 30. The search revealed various forms of identification cards belonging to individuals other than the subjects. A records check revealed that one of the subjects, a male, Jeffrey A. Titus (DOB: 02/19/85) had an outstanding probation warrant out of Washington state.
The investigation linked all three to the possession of these ID cards. The other two subjects were David L. Springs (male, DOB: 05/08/91) and Susan A. Hood (female, DOB: 06/10/77). All three were arrested for felony Fraudulent Use/Possession of Identifying Information. Mr. Titus failed to identify himself during the investigation. He was also arrested for misdemeanor Failure to Identify and for his warrant. Various property items were seized pending further investigation. Detectives are working with authorities in Washington state and believe that these suspects may be involved in similar acts in other states.
This incident highlights the quick thinking and collaboration displayed by members of our community-the first line of defense against crime. This investigation is still on-going.
The two shoppers were later seen with the male subject that had been bleeding from his arm. When these subjects attempted to pay for merchandise valued at approximately $800, credit cards utilized for payment were declined. The subjects left the store without the merchandise, leaving the store staff suspicious. A vigilant staff member observed the subjects get into a vehicle and obtained valuable identifying information about the car and the description of these subjects. Another suspicious circumstance involved the abandonment of a few pieces of identification that were left behind. The ID cards located by the store staff also had blood on them.
Around this same time, a victim of another motor vehicle burglary had called APD dispatch about her vehicle being burglarized at an apartment complex in the 4500 block of Ridgemont Drive. As responding officers began piecing the circumstances together, they learned that the ID's located at the grocery store belonged to the burglary victim at the hotel parking lot. Officers converged to the area and located the vehicle that had left the grocery store with the three subjects. This vehicle was parked at the hotel. Their preliminary investigation took them inside the hotel in the 4300 block of Ridgemont Drive where all three subjects were located inside a hotel room. Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division were summoned to assist.
Detectives quickly realized that they were dealing with multiple suspects and crime scenes. The investigation led detectives to make application for evidentiary search warrants for a hotel room, the suspect's vehicle, and to collect DNA from each of the suspects. The search warrants were signed by a magistrate and executed early Wednesday morning, January 30. The search revealed various forms of identification cards belonging to individuals other than the subjects. A records check revealed that one of the subjects, a male, Jeffrey A. Titus (DOB: 02/19/85) had an outstanding probation warrant out of Washington state.
The investigation linked all three to the possession of these ID cards. The other two subjects were David L. Springs (male, DOB: 05/08/91) and Susan A. Hood (female, DOB: 06/10/77). All three were arrested for felony Fraudulent Use/Possession of Identifying Information. Mr. Titus failed to identify himself during the investigation. He was also arrested for misdemeanor Failure to Identify and for his warrant. Various property items were seized pending further investigation. Detectives are working with authorities in Washington state and believe that these suspects may be involved in similar acts in other states.
This incident highlights the quick thinking and collaboration displayed by members of our community-the first line of defense against crime. This investigation is still on-going.
