Compiled by Jared Curtis jared@dmcityview.com

On the clock
Des Moines Police, Dec. 1-4

Dec. 1-2, time unknown
Burglary in the 100 block of East 35th Street. The victim reported that while he was gone, suspect(s) forced their way into his house and garage. The back sliding door of his house was open and multiple items including a watch, plasma TV, two air nail guns and an unknown amount of tools valued at more than $38,000 was taken. The suspect(s) broke several fence boards allowing them entry or exit to the back yard. There were no witnesses or suspect(s) and the victim is attempting to find serial numbers for the stolen items.

Dec. 1-2, 3:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Burglary in the 2100 block of Indianola Avenue. Sometime during the night, suspect(s) broke glass in the front door and unlocked it gaining entry. After removing money from the register, suspect(s) went into the office and removed cash and coins from a cash box located in a file cabinet. An unknown amount of money was taken.

Dec. 2, 9:29 p.m.
Robbery in the 2700 block of Indianola Avenue. The clerk at Git N Go, located at 2716 Indianola Ave., stated a white male in his 30s wearing a blue ski mask, green puffy coat, blue jeans and gloves, walked up to the counter and said, “give me all your money, I’m not fucking around.” The clerk gave the suspect an unknown amount of cash from the register. The suspect fled on foot west bound on Creston Avenue.

Dec. 4, 1:05 a.m.
Burglary in the 1700 block of East 25th Street. Officers responded to an alarm at Okey Dokey Café, located at 1700 E. 25th St., and upon arrival they found entry was made by punching a hole in the window of the front door. The manager arrived, surveyed the damage and discovered the register had been opened and $100 was missing.

Busted

Name: Todd William Devin
The story: While on patrol, officers heard dispatchers put out three burglaries that occurred within a matter of minutes in the same area. An officer noticed a man in the area fitting the description of a burglary suspect near a strip mall. He stopped the man and identified him as Devin. He had a tire iron in his waistband and his hands were bloody. He also had drug paraphernalia. He told the officer he had a flat tire and he was trying to fix it. His car just happened to fit the description of the one used in several burglaries including Midas Muffler Shops, Crown Cleaners and Thompkins Industries. Devin is the suspect of numerous burglaries that have occurred in this city since August. He admitted to detectives that he was in fact the person they sought. He said he did the burglaries to support his drug habit. He also claimed to avoid churches, schools and residences and only target commercial properties. According to detectives, Devin is responsible for tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage and theft in these cases. Devin was charged by with third degree burglary and is currently being held in the Polk County Jail.

Docket Diving

The following is from a recent ruling made by the Iowa Court of Appeals regarding the case of the State of Iowa vs. Curtis Eugene Harms.

“The State charged Curtis Harms with one count of first-degree theft. Harms pled guilty to second-degree theft. Prior to sentencing, Harms filed a motion in arrest of judgment alleging his plea lacked a factual basis, and he was denied effective assistance of counsel. The district court granted his motion. The state subsequently filed an amended trial information charging Harms with ten counts of first-degree theft. The district court ordered his sentences served consecutively.

“On appeal, Harms argues ‘trial counsel was ineffective in that he allowed him to plead guilty despite the state’s violation of his right to speedy trial.’ Harms also maintains trial counsel was ineffective in filing a motion in arrest of judgment with respect to his first plea. Harms asserts the court did not state reasons for imposing consecutive prison terms and abused its discretion in declining to order concurrent rather than consecutive terms.

“After listening to Harms, the district court stated the following: ‘The Court has taken into consideration the defendant’s age; his prior record of convictions, which is substantial; his employment and family circumstances; the nature of the offense that was committed, the fact there was no weapon or force involved in this offense; the defendant’s financial circumstances; his need for rehabilitation, the necessity of protecting the community from further offenses by the defendant and others. Mr. Harms, I was here and took your guilty plea and I have listened to you today. It is apparent to me that you still don’t get it. You still continue to deny responsibility for what’s happened here, to say that you didn’t understand that what you were doing was wrong. It’s my judgment that you be sentenced to 10 years on each of these two offenses and they run consecutive.’

“It is clear from this summary that the sentencing reasons articulated by the court applied to the decision to impose consecutive sentences. The court’s statements do not reflect an abuse of discretion. We affirm Harms’s judgment and sentence and preserve his ineffective assistance-of-counsel claims for post conviction relief.”

Most wanted

Name: Shane Wessel
Age: 32
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 215 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Wanted for: Drug, weapons and eluding charges.
If you know where to find this fugitive, call Crime Stoppers at 223-1400

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