Police say a hospital scrubs-clad man caught breaking into an ambulance outside a Denton hospital early Thursday may be linked to similar crimes in the area.
The 43-year-old man, jailed on a misdemeanor vehicle burglary charge, is a suspect in two other ambulance burglaries in Denton this month and similar cases in at least two other cities, Lewisville and Coppell, said Ryan Grelle, a spokesman for the Denton Police Department.
The man was being held Thursday afternoon in lieu of $10,000 bail.
"Right now he's charged with one burglary of a motor vehicle from last night," Grelle said. "He's a suspect in the others, but he's refusing to talk to the detectives. We're trying to piece everything together."
The arrest occurred after 1 a.m. Thursday in the 3000 block of North Interstate 35. An off-duty police officer working security at the hospital saw the suspect opening doors to an ambulance that had just delivered a patient to the emergency room, according to police reports.
The suspect first said he was trying to locate the patient but quickly changed his story and said he was looking for paramedics so he could inquire about a job, according to police reports. The suspect said he was a paramedic but offered vague and conflicting information about his work history, according to the reports.
Police had been told to be on the lookout for a man driving a silver Jeep who was suspected in ambulance burglaries at area hospitals. The suspect's vehicle matched the description, and he was arrested after he tried to walk away from the officer questioning him, according to police reports.
The two earlier Denton cases involved stolen medical kits. Nothing was reported missing from the ambulance in the latest case.
Other reports
4100 block of South Interstate 35E - A man claiming to be at "war against the world" was arrested after a rampage outside a car dealership in which police say he smashed flowerpots, scattered a tire display and shattered a service bay window, leaving behind a trail of his own blood.
A security officer reported the damage after 10 p.m. Wednesday, according to a police report. A police officer found the suspect writhing on the pavement about 200 yards away, with blood covering his arms, the report states. The suspect explained his behavior by saying he was "going to war against the world," according to the officer's report.
Medics arrived to treat the man but couldn't because he was cursing and threatening them, the report states. He was being held in city jail Thursday on a charge of criminal mischief with damages between $1,500 and $20,000.
The officer reported no sign that any vehicles in the dealership's parking lot were damaged.
3900 block of Teasley Lane - A woman called Denton police Wednesday to report that she suspected her former home health care aide had stolen multiple gold rings from her house.
According to a police report, the woman said she first thought the rings were lost during a move, but she grew suspicious when the aide, told of the missing jewelry, quickly responded, "Well, I didn't take it!"
10700 block of FM2450 - A store owner complained to Denton County sheriff's deputies Wednesday after an inventory revealed that five rolls of lottery tickets were missing from the store.
The missing tickets were valued at $3,250, according to a sheriff's office report.
Roundup
From 7 a.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday:
• Denton police responded to 274 service and officer-initiated calls, including eight vehicle burglaries, six thefts, three building burglaries, two assaults, two criminal mischief cases, one criminal trespass report, one welfare concern and one report of a suspicious vehicle.
• Denton County sheriff's dispatchers handled 678 service and officer-initiated calls for the agencies they serve. Forty-five people were booked into county jail. Deputies took reports of five thefts, one case of credit card abuse, one vehicle burglary and one building burglary.
• Denton firefighters responded to 23 medical calls, six motor vehicle accidents, two chemical spills, two public service requests, two requests to assist police, one person in distress, one building fire and one report of an electrical wiring problem.
Argyle firefighters responded to one medical call, one request to assist a citizen, one grass fire and one water main break.
Aubrey firefighters responded to five medical calls, one grass fire and one smoke investigation.
Krum firefighters responded to one grass fire.
Lake Cities firefighters responded to seven medical calls, two fire alarms, two grass fires, one request to assist a citizen and one reckless driver.
Oak Point firefighters responded to three medical calls.
Pilot Point firefighters responded to two grass fires.
Sanger firefighters responded to three grass fires and two medical calls.
LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com .
Denton County Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these or other crimes. Callers will remain anonymous. Call 1-800-388-TIPS (8477). Reach the Denton police narcotics tip line at 940-565-5801.
