Shoplifting police recruit "applicant" arrested after showing up for exam
Crime Blotter
March 02, 2009
San Diego resident Romeo Ogilve Montillano, wanted to be a Chula Vista Police Officer, but he was also wanted by Chula Vista Police Officers for robbery, assault and shoplifting.
On December 5, 2008 Montillano stole a television set, DVD player and a telephone from the Kmart at 875 E. H Street. In the parking lot Montillano was confronted by store staff. The result, Kmart workers were beaten and threatened before the suspect fled the scene in a pick up truck. Workers were able to get the license plate number of the truck and Chula Vista investigator Ruth Hinzman was able to positively identify the suspect and contact him by phone.
The suspect told the Detective that he was in Las Vegas. He further told her that he would be in Chula Vista in about three weeks as he was going to take the Chula Vista Police Officer examination. With that information the Detective asked staff to verify that the suspect was, in fact, registered to take our Police Officer examination.
Sure enough, Montillano had submitted an application for the current Police Officer Recruitment process. A Police Agent and Background Investigator Henry Martin contacted Montillano via the telephone number on his application and identified himself as the Background Investigator. Montillano was asked if he was going to attend the Police Officer applicant orientation on 02/18/09. Montillano said that he would be there. However, he failed to show up for the orientation and later called to apologize for not attending. He explained that his vehicle had been towed and impounded in Las Vegas and that he was trying to "scrape together" enough money to get it out. Detectives assumed that Montillano had realized that Chula Vista Police would arrest him if he showed up. It was further assumed that he would not be heard from again.
On 02/23/09 police were forwarded an e-mail that had been sent to the City of Chula Vista Human Resources Department from Montillano. He wrote that he was able to catch a greyhound bus from Las Vegas to San Diego so that he would not miss the Police Officer examination. Despite not having much hope that Montillano would show up, a plan was made to take him into custody at the examination.
The day of the exam Detective Hinzman and agent Martin stood at the check in table. To everyone's amazement the suspect/applicant, Montillano, showed up at the registration table.Montillano calmly signed in, went into the exam room and waited for the testing to begin.
After getting over their disbelief officers put their arrest plan into action. Agent Martin called Mr. Montillano out of the exam room and escorted him to the office, asking him questions about his application along the way. Once they entered the office, Detective Hinzman, with other officers acting as security, took Montillano into custody. After being told what he was being arrested for, His only question was if he would still be able to take the test. Agent Martin explained to him that he would be removed from the process since he would not be able to finish the test. He then asked Agent Martin if he would be able to re-apply and take the test later.
Mr. Montillano is Charged with - 459 PC - Commercial Burglary, 211 PC - Robbery (Because he got in a "brawl" w/ the security guys who were trying to stop the theft), 422 PC - Criminal Threats (Because he threatened to shoot the security guys) and 487(a) PC- Grand theft. These charges stem from the 12/05/2008 event at the K-Mart, 875 East H St (CVPD case 08-25325). He stole a TV ($550) a DVD player ($80), and a telephone ($60).
He is being held on $145,000 bail.
He also stole from Kohl's (Chula Vista) and was arrested in Nov, 2008 (CVPD case #08-23068). There is a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest on this theft.
On December 5, 2008 Montillano stole a television set, DVD player and a telephone from the Kmart at 875 E. H Street. In the parking lot Montillano was confronted by store staff. The result, Kmart workers were beaten and threatened before the suspect fled the scene in a pick up truck. Workers were able to get the license plate number of the truck and Chula Vista investigator Ruth Hinzman was able to positively identify the suspect and contact him by phone.
The suspect told the Detective that he was in Las Vegas. He further told her that he would be in Chula Vista in about three weeks as he was going to take the Chula Vista Police Officer examination. With that information the Detective asked staff to verify that the suspect was, in fact, registered to take our Police Officer examination.
Sure enough, Montillano had submitted an application for the current Police Officer Recruitment process. A Police Agent and Background Investigator Henry Martin contacted Montillano via the telephone number on his application and identified himself as the Background Investigator. Montillano was asked if he was going to attend the Police Officer applicant orientation on 02/18/09. Montillano said that he would be there. However, he failed to show up for the orientation and later called to apologize for not attending. He explained that his vehicle had been towed and impounded in Las Vegas and that he was trying to "scrape together" enough money to get it out. Detectives assumed that Montillano had realized that Chula Vista Police would arrest him if he showed up. It was further assumed that he would not be heard from again.
On 02/23/09 police were forwarded an e-mail that had been sent to the City of Chula Vista Human Resources Department from Montillano. He wrote that he was able to catch a greyhound bus from Las Vegas to San Diego so that he would not miss the Police Officer examination. Despite not having much hope that Montillano would show up, a plan was made to take him into custody at the examination.
The day of the exam Detective Hinzman and agent Martin stood at the check in table. To everyone's amazement the suspect/applicant, Montillano, showed up at the registration table.Montillano calmly signed in, went into the exam room and waited for the testing to begin.
After getting over their disbelief officers put their arrest plan into action. Agent Martin called Mr. Montillano out of the exam room and escorted him to the office, asking him questions about his application along the way. Once they entered the office, Detective Hinzman, with other officers acting as security, took Montillano into custody. After being told what he was being arrested for, His only question was if he would still be able to take the test. Agent Martin explained to him that he would be removed from the process since he would not be able to finish the test. He then asked Agent Martin if he would be able to re-apply and take the test later.
Mr. Montillano is Charged with - 459 PC - Commercial Burglary, 211 PC - Robbery (Because he got in a "brawl" w/ the security guys who were trying to stop the theft), 422 PC - Criminal Threats (Because he threatened to shoot the security guys) and 487(a) PC- Grand theft. These charges stem from the 12/05/2008 event at the K-Mart, 875 East H St (CVPD case 08-25325). He stole a TV ($550) a DVD player ($80), and a telephone ($60).
He is being held on $145,000 bail.
He also stole from Kohl's (Chula Vista) and was arrested in Nov, 2008 (CVPD case #08-23068). There is a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest on this theft.
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