Dole Center thieves caught

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Pete Nusspickel and Detective Bob Sanderson
  • 22nd Security Forces Squadron Investigation Section
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE Kan. --  Criminals know no boundaries, and if a target of opportunity presents itself, they will strike.

Recently several Team McConnell members were victims of thefts, which occurred at the Robert J. Dole Community Center.

Three of the victims were using the fitness center when their personal possessions were stolen. They had stored their items in daily use lockers, but they had not secured their lockers. As a result, someone stole their wallets, identification cards, credit cards, and cash while they were engaged in sports activities.

Another Airman fell victim to theft when he left his personal property in an unlocked vehicle, which was parked at the Dole Center. A criminal snatched government and personal property from the unsecured car. The thief was also able to assume the victim's identity and make several fraudulent purchases at off-base shopping facilities using the victim's credit cards.

Once the owners realized their property was stolen, they immediately contacted the McConnell Emergency Control Center, filed police reports and cancelled their credit cards. Base investigators got to work using information they obtained from the police reports and the victim's respective financial institutions.

The investigators contacted off-base establishments where the victims' credit cards had been used and obtained surveillance video footage, which showed the criminals using the stolen credit cards.

Armed with this evidence, investigators hit the pavement attempting to identify the suspects. Investigators distributed wanted posters at key locations on and off base. They also talked with numerous Team McConnell members and received outstanding support -- everyone wanted to help identify the criminals.

These crimes occurred on a Friday and a Saturday, and by Wednesday the next week, investigators had exhausted all their leads, and the trail was growing cold. However, one member of Team McConnell recognized the suspected individuals at the fitness center.

Airman 1st Class Medel Ardiente, 22nd Services Squadron, was on duty at the fitness center when he observed an individual matching the description of one of the suspected perpetrators. So, he notified the McConnell Emergency Control Center, which dispatched on-call investigators.

With the assistance of Senior Airman Bradley Enoch, Senior Airman Jonathon Bryant, and Senior Airman Brandon Nusspickel, all members of the 22nd Security Forces Squadron, the investigators detained the suspected perpetrators. As a result, investigators recovered nearly $1,000 worth of government and personal property and placed it in an evidence locker. The evidence will be maintained pending criminal proceedings against the criminals.

The four crimes all shared one thing in common -- people's items were unsecured when they were stolen. Many military members are victims of theft each year -- both on and off base. Living in a closed community shelters servicemembers us from many of society's problems, however it does not make them immune to crime.

Without the assistance of Team McConnell members, such as Airman Ardiente, investigators may not have been able to solve these crimes.

Call McConnell Crime Stop at 759-5100 to report information regarding criminal activity occurring on McConnell. Crime Stop callers have the option of remaining anonymous. For further assistance, people may also contact security forces investigations at 759-3963.

Identity theft affects one in every five people in the United States. If you become a victim please contact the McConnell Emergency Control Center from a base phone by dialing 911 or call 759-3976 from an off base or cell phone.

Following these simple steps will help protect people from being a victim of theft: 

Keep quarters secured and doors and windows locked when no one is home. 

Keep vehicle doors locked and windows closed when no one is in the vehicle. 

Do not leave valuables in unmanned vehicles in plain sight, or don't leave them in unmanned vehicles period. 

Use a padlock on locker doors at the fitness center and similar facilities to secure personal items. 

Mark credits card with "Check ID" in the signature block, and do not store PIN numbers in wallets. 

Label personal property with unique identification marks. Do not use social security numbers to mark personal belongings. 

Immediately file a police report upon discovering property has been stolen. 

Immediately contact credit/debit card companies and cancel cards if they are possibly stolen.