Marlborough Mesa

This is a message sent to me from one of our neighbors, Robyn Olson: 

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Yesterday, my girls ran to catch the ice cream "man" that drives thru our neighborhood in the afternoons.  Long story-short; they had a ten dollar bill, he told them he didn't have any change, gave them a toy from the dollar store and sent them on their way!  He ripped them off!  Normally, I am with them, this time I waited inside the door.  Friends of the girls claim he has done this to them too.  Always claiming he has no change and giving them a small candy instead.  WRONG!  I called the police dept. and filed a report.  They REALLY want to get this guy!  So, we need to call the mesa PD anytime we hear or see him in the neighborhood.   Tell them that he is stealing from the kids so it gets put at the top of the call priority list.(Officer told me to do that).  I want this "the ice cream man" out of our neighborhood!  My girls were very upset that they had been cheated.  I was surprised at their reaction.  They really had no idea what to do, but they knew it was wrong.  Kind of like being cheated by the easter bunny, you know?

The ice cream truck came by Spruce and Posada.  One of our neighbors had already read this email that was sent out to those who I have on our Neighborhood Group.  She saw him and went after his license plate number while I called police.

We did get the license plate number and told police.  It is 179 ZBR. 

From Robyn:

"The police did catch him today for questioning. I doubt he'll return to our neighborhood! Way to go neighbors! The dispatch officer said she had received more calls about this than most bad crimes!"

On Saturday, March 22nd (approx. 1-1:30 p.m.)  the "ice cream man" was stopped by two police cars in front of our house. They talked with him for a lengthy amount of time, after which he left in his own vehicle. We then saw the police officers talking to some of the neighborhood kids who were approx. 12 to 13 yrs. old. We weren't able to get any information but wanted to let you know that he has been stopped by the police.

Cheryl and Brent Gregory

This from Mesa PD:

(Sent 3-26-08 - just now getting to posting)

"Just for your information, an ice cream truck was pulled over in 3000 block of S Alma School on 03/25/08 that was in your neighborhood. Patrol stopped this vehicle in reference to the complaints from your neighborhood on the Ice Cream Man stealing money from the children. The subject operating the truck was cited for the following offenses:

Operating without a business license

Outstanding tickets

The subject driving lives in Phx so we are hoping he does not return the area. "