Boomtown police report: February 5, 2025 - February 19, 2025

Fraud and fights

Our fortnightly police report focuses on incidents affecting public safety and community awareness, presented without names or photos of those involved. We aim to inform residents about patterns of criminal activity, safety concerns, and police responses in our area while avoiding unnecessary stigmatization. Each entry includes the date, location, and basic details of incidents reported to the Los Alamos Police Department.

Feb. 5: La Mesita Rd / E Jemez Rd, 8:27 a.m.
Officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with an expired registration sticker. The 41-year-old driver, a LANL employee, was found to have an outstanding warrant from Rio Arriba County for failure to appear in court. The individual was arrested and transported to the Los Alamos County Detention Center. The person's vehicle was released to a coworker.

Feb. 5: Trinity Drive, 2 p.m.
Officers responded to a call regarding an elderly resident in need of services. The case was referred to the appropriate support agencies. No further details were available.

Feb. 6: Beehive Assisted Living, 9:51 a.m.
Officers and medical personnel responded to a report of an attempted suicide at an assisted living facility. A 61-year-old resident had inflicted a minor cut to their arm. The individual expressed suicidal ideation and was transported to Los Alamos Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.

Feb. 6: Ridgeway Playlot, 11:45 a.m.
Officers responded to what was initially reported as a vehicle crash but was determined to be an altercation between two 17-year-old high school students. The confrontation began after a perceived road-rage incident and escalated into a physical fight. Both juveniles allegedly displayed aggressive behavior that contributed to the situation. The case was referred to Los Alamos Teen Court.

Feb. 6: Speedway Convenience Store (White Rock), 8:19 a.m.
Store management reported a possible embezzlement of $1,955 in cash. An investigation revealed a young employee had been the victim of an elaborate scam. The employee received a call from someone claiming to be a district manager who directed them to remove money from the safe for a supposed cash-on-delivery package. The scammer then instructed the employee to send funds via Bitcoin and wire transfer. When the employee realized they had been scammed, they returned the remaining funds. The report states that the employee “felt so guilty” that they withdrew all their money from their own personal savings and placed it into the store's safe. The company declined to press charges against the employee. (Note: Boomtown attempted to reach Speedway to ask whether they kept the employee’s money after realizing they were the victim of a scam - there was no response.)

Feb. 6: Los Alamos Detention Center, 4:42 p.m.
Officers responded to a report of a battery between two inmates. A 39-year-old detainee was assaulted by a 21-year-old detainee, resulting in minor injuries. The incident was captured on surveillance video. The victim was transported to Los Alamos Medical Center for treatment and charges are being pursued against the aggressor.

Feb. 7: Post Office (Central Park Square), 3:11 p.m.
Alert postal staff contacted police after an elderly resident attempted to send $15,000 in money orders to an individual in California. Investigation revealed the 78-year-old had been misled by a scammer posing as both her cousin and a tech support representative. Thanks to the intervention of post office employees and police, the money orders were recovered before being sent, preventing any financial loss.

Feb. 8: Seminole Street, 12:24 p.m.
Officers responded to a neighborhood dispute involving a dog that had killed a resident's pet chicken. Investigation revealed ongoing tensions between neighbors. A 35-year-old resident was served with a criminal trespass order after repeatedly going to the neighbor's property despite being verbally warned not to return.

Feb. 7: Estante Way (White Rock), 8:59 a.m.
Officers responded to an "unattended death" — a term used when someone passes away without a medical professional present to certify the cause of death at the time it occurred. The case is under investigation, so no further details were available.

Feb. 7: Sycamore Street, 5:30 p.m.
Officers responded to a call that resulted in a Child Protective Services intake. The case remains active, so no further details were released.

Feb. 9: 48th Street, 3:15 p.m.
A resident reported attempted theft of a motor vehicle. The owner discovered damage to her 2000 Chevrolet truck, with the driver's side door lock punched out and ignition damaged. The vehicle had been parked for an extended period since the last snowfall. There are no suspects at this time.

Feb. 9: E Jemez Road, 9:13 p.m.
Officers responded to a report of a sexual offense. The case remains active. No further details were available due to ongoing investigation.

Feb. 10: Walnut Street, 8 a.m.
A report of a sexual offense was submitted to the police department. The case remains active. No further details were available due to ongoing investigation.

Feb. 10: Verde Ridge Street, 9:05 p.m.
Officers responded to a noise complaint at an apartment complex. The resident reported his neighbor was playing loud music at disruptive volumes, with decibel readings exceeding county ordinance limits. Despite multiple previous police responses, the subject refused to answer the door. Due to the continuous nature of the disturbances, the individual will be summoned for disorderly conduct.

Feb. 11: Arizona Avenue, 2:38 p.m.
A 51-year-old resident reported being defrauded of $1,000 through a social media scam. The victim reported that her niece's Facebook account had been hacked and was being used to advertise a camper for sale. After contacting what she believed was her niece's account, the victim was directed to send payments through Zelle and Apple Pay to hold the item. The resident has contacted her financial institution about the fraudulent transaction.

Feb. 12: Oppenheimer Drive, 11:30 a.m.
Officers responded to a domestic dispute call. The incident involved allegations of pushing and kicking between household members. One individual was issued a summons for battery against a household member. No serious injuries were reported.

Feb. 12: Kiva Street, 12:40 p.m.
Officers responded to a report of an unattended death. A resident was found deceased in their backyard by a family member who returned home. The Office of Medical Investigator responded to the scene and determined the death was due to natural causes related to the resident's existing medical conditions.

Feb. 12: Smith's Grocery Store, 1:30 p.m.
Store managers reported an individual repeatedly violating a trespass order. The 30-year-old Española resident had previously been trespassed from the store on Jan. 15 for alleged shoplifting and harassing behavior. Staff reported the individual entered the store on February 10 and twice on Feb. 12 despite being told to leave. Following an investigation that included witness statements and photo identification, police have summoned the individual on three counts of criminal trespass.

Feb. 14: Mesa del Norte apartments, 9:23 a.m.
A 77-year-old resident reported unauthorized electronic transfers from her bank account. The victim had previously sent photos of her debit card to a family member who then allegedly used the information to make multiple unauthorized $25 transfers via a mobile payment app. Since the suspected transactions occurred outside Los Alamos County, the case has been referred to another city’s police department.

Feb. 17: DP Road, 5:50 p.m.
Officers responded to a family in need of services. A mother reported issues with her 15-year-old son, who had taken his mother's phone and become physical during the dispute. The teen admitted to striking and shoving his mother after she confiscated his phone. Officers observed that the mother appeared to be intoxicated. The case was referred to Family Services for appropriate follow-up and support.

Feb. 19: Los Alamos High School, 8 a.m.
Officers responded to a report of a confrontation between two students at Los Alamos High School. The incident involved allegations that one student had thrown food at the vehicle belonging to a parent of another student, which led to a verbal confrontation. The case was documented, and the school resource officer was notified.

Feb. 19: Alabama Avenue, 2:49 p.m.
Officers responded to a residence regarding a family in need of services. A 16-year-old reported ongoing conflicts with her father and stepmother regarding household rules. While conducting the initial assessment, officers were called back to the residence for a civil standby* when two adult family members arrived to collect belongings. During this interaction, two family members experienced medical distress and were evaluated by paramedics, though both declined transport to the hospital. The case was referred to the Children, Youth and Families Department for support services.
* A “civil standby” is a preventative service where officers observe and ensure safety without taking enforcement action unless a crime occurs.