Recently, Albert De La Torre (D.O.B. 01/26/1978) was charged with four counts of 3^rd degree burglary and one count of attempted 3^rd degree burglary in connection with a series of ATM burglaries across the West Valley.
 
“Communication between agencies was the key to linking this defendant to more than just one criminal act and holding him responsible for his series of crimes,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “Using our Community Based Prosecution model to share information, prosecutors were able to work with investigators and analysts to identify the defendant as the suspect in multiple cases and show a judge why the defendant should be kept in custody.”
 
Between June 22 and June 29, ATM kiosks were removed from their location in three different areas of the West Valley. Law enforcement in each area started their investigations independently of one another using different pieces of evidence to identify Albert De La Torre as a possible burglary suspect. De La Torre was arrested on July 30, 2018 in an unrelated case that is still under investigation. When De La Torre first went before a judge, he was originally facing charges in just one case and De La Torre’s release conditions did not include a bond.
 
However, before De La Torre could actually be released, a detective investigating one of the ATM burglaries alerted the prosecutor of the additional crimes De La Torre was being investigated for by his police department. Through the prosecutor’s partnerships with other West Valley law enforcement agencies, they learned the defendant was a suspect in investigations by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Peoria Police Department and the Surprise Police Department for similar crimes in their jurisdictions as well.
 
The Community Based Prosecution model assigns teams of prosecutors to one of eight geographically assigned areas in the County and allows prosecutors to develop close working relationships with law enforcement and community partners in their assigned area. In this case, MCAO’s Crime Analysts worked with the West Valley Community Based Prosecution Bureau to put together more information than was originally presented to the court. De La Torre was seen by another judicial officer and, based on the information gathered from the police, prosecutor, and analyst, the court imposed a bond of $25,000. He remains in custody and as detectives continue to investigate with a possibility of more charges being filed.

This month thousands of families sent their students off to the halls of higher learning at one of the more than 50 four-year universities, two-year colleges, tribal institutions, private and for-profit colleges and universities in Maricopa County. Heading to college is an exciting time for students; new social circles, new housing and new friends. At the same time freshman students are finding their way around dorms and lecture halls, criminals are appearing on campus often taking advantage of these same unsuspecting undergraduates. Personal safety and security on campus are concerns for students and parents, but armed with the right information and common sense, students can achieve summa cum laude in crime prevention.
 
Sexual assaults on college campuses are a major concern and in addition to burglary and identity theft are among the most reported crimes on campuses according to the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. There were nearly 3,300 sexual assaults reported in Arizona last year which accounted for nearly 11% of violent crimes reported in the state. Sexual assaults can begin with sexual harassment which can occur in class, college clubs and activities and in sororities and fraternities.

Stalking is repeated and often unwanted attention that causes a person to feel unsafe. This is often done through following people, watching or waiting for them, incessant texting, calling or emailing, social media messages and unwanted gifts. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), the majority of stalking victims in the U.S. are between 18 and 24 years old.

For college students, the most common types of sexual assault can happen when victims and perpetrators are under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Often the victim is unable to know what is happening and cannot give proper consent.
 
There were more than 36,000 burglaries reported in Arizona last year with 40% occurring between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Students may believe their dorm rooms are protected because the main entrance is secure so they don’t lock their belongings or their individual room doors. Burglaries and other property crimes like theft, shoplifting and vandalism are frequent campus occurrences. Criminals won’t think twice about helping themselves to unattended laptops and designer backpacks or even taking campus identification badges and textbooks.
 
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery reminds students and their parents to be vigilant, “Safety on campuses and prompt reporting of crimes, especially sexual assault, is important. Victims should immediately identify services available to them, either on campus or through my Office. The MCAO works together with campus police to provide justice and bring these types of offenders to justice.”
 
Crime Prevention Tips for College Students:

• Consider taking a self-defense course. Many campuses offer these as a regular part of the curriculum.
• Check in regularly with family and friends, especially if you are headed out of town with roommates or taking a solo weekend trip. If your schedule will be different than your usual routine, let someone know.
• Use your campus escort service to get back and forth on campus at night. Don’t walk alone at night.
• Carry pepper spray, a small flashlight or even a whistle in your bag.
• Pay attention to your social media settings. Make sure you know and trust your friends on various social media platforms and never give too much away.
• Lock your room doors, when you leave and when you go to sleep.
• Be careful when walking on campus with headphones or walking while checking your phone. Criminals can immediately recognize these crimes of opportunity to surprise and victimize you.
• Don’t stay at parties when friends leave. Keep someone with you and make sure you depart with the same pairs or groups of people with whom you arrived.
• Never leave valuable items alone, even for a minute.

MCAO staff volunteers kicked off the 2018 high school football season on August 17 at Maryvale High School in Phoenix. The MHS Panthers showed up strong with 1,164 students signing the pledge to be drug and alcohol free.
 
Our team next went to McClintock High School, where the Chargers stepped up their game with 784 pledges signed.
 
We ended the month of August at Valley Vista in Surprise. The Monsoons broke an all-time record with 100 percent participation at 2,743 pledges signed. Their true victory was that the entire football team, cheerleaders and student council—at least 100 students—volunteered to help their peers pledge to be drug and alcohol free.
 
Stay tuned for more as we visit seven more schools throughout the County this football season.
 
A complete list can be found in the Community Calendar in this issue.