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Stockton man scares off robbery suspect with rifle

STOCKTON, CA - A man scared off a would-be robber by firing his rifle at the suspect Tuesday morning.

The 63-year-old man was taking out the garbage around 10:37 a.m. on the 100 block of East Clay Street, when he saw that his garage door was open, Stockton police said.

The man went back inside and watched as the suspect walked out of the garage carrying a latter. Police said the man got his phone and .22 caliber rifle and then confronted the suspect.

As the man called 911, he told the suspect to get on the ground about five times. Police said the suspect yelled back at the man, "I'm gonna kill you."

The man, fearing for his life, fired four shots about 10 feet in front of suspect. The suspect then ran from the scene.

Student masterminds video sting to catch suspected thief

LINDEN, Calif. - The Linden High School sophomore who videotaped a teacher apparently stealing money from student backpacks said she knew she had to do something.

Justine Betti said students had noticed things missing from their backpacks in gym class all year.

She decided to hide inside a locker to see if she could find the culprit. She did not expect it to be her teacher.

"After all the kids left she stayed in there and went through people's backpacks," Justine said, adding, "I saw her take money and then I told people and nobody believed me."

Betti decided she needed proof.

"Something needed to be done. Like, that's not ok."

On Wednesday, February 13, she hid in a locker a second time, holding a phone video camera, with another camera propped up in a second locker.

"I didn't want to believe that she would do something like that because she was so nice, but then she did it," Betti said.

Stockton cops get tips on shocking Victory Park murder

STOCKTON, CA - Several anonymous tips were turned into Stockton police in regards to a September 2012 shooting death, Officer Joe Silva said.

In those tips, people said the same people who killed Armando Pina at Victory Park were responsible for several other killings during the same period.

Pina was shot to death and robbed of a gold chain while walking in the middle of the afternoon. He had recently retired from the City of Stockton.

RELATED STORY: Stockton police say man fatally shot over gold chain

However, Silva said those tips are vague.

Elderly couple victimized in Stockton home invasion

STOCKTON, CA - Stockton police are looking for two men who broke into a home Sunday afternoon while the elderly residents were there.

The men stole jewelry and money while ransacking the house.  One of them kept a gun pointed at the 93-year-old woman during the incident.

"She was still lying in bed, and he was pointing the gun.  She was trembling," said the daughter of the victims who was at work at the time.  "I couldn't forgive myself if something happened, if they were killed," said the woman who didn't want to provide her name.

The men broke into the home through a back window, which was broken by a thrown rock.  The rock was thrown so hard it marked up a wall about 30 feet beyond the window.

Police said the men were wearing masks and gloves, and the victims couldn't be certain of their race.

The home invasion was in northeast Stockton. 

Illegal assault rifles found in Stockton home; mom, son arrested

STOCKTON, CA - A woman and her son were arrested after a search of there home Friday evening turned up marijuana and guns, Stockton police said.

Maria Aguilera, 52, and Ramon Aguilera, were taken into custody by the San Joaquin County Gang Taskforce and Community Response Team Officers at there home on the 2600 block of Plantation Place around 5:21 p.m.

Lt. Chuck Flesher said officers seized 10 guns - seven were long guns and three handguns; three of the confiscated weapons were illegal assault rifles.

Also during the search, police found 9 pounds of marijuana.

Both Aguileras was arrested for narcotics and weapons charges.

Mother of missing woman believes FBI should listen to 'Speed Freak Killer' Shermantine

Mother of missing woman believes FBI should listen to 'Speed Freak Killer' Shermantine

STOCKTON, CA - The mother of a Stockton woman who's been missing for 25 years wants the FBI to reconsider its excavation work near Linden after "Speed Freak Killer" Wes Shermantine offered more information about the location of his victims.

The FBI has been excavating an abandoned well east of Stockton for more than a month. The agency said no remains have been found. The digging is happening in the same area where three murder victims were located about a year ago.  

Shermantine has said to private investigators, from death row, the FBI is about 200 yards away from where he directed them.

"I told them from the little bridge (where there's a ) guardrail and the culvert that runs underneath the road, from there back to the trees, is (where Loren) had a killing ground; spots where he'd bury people," said Shermantine in a recorded phone call to private investigator Rob Dick.

Stockton police tackle downtown crime

STOCKTON, CA - Stockton police officers, able to work crime issues other than shootings and homicides, concentrated on downtown drug and alcohol use Wednesday.

Officers said they were focusing on the streets surrounding the transit center because of so many complaints from nearby business owners.

"Kids loitering, drinking, smoking marijuana in front of businesses, blocking entrances," were some of the issues listed by officer Greg Gall.

He said the department can concentrate on these types of problems since the city has experienced so few shootings so far in 2013.

"That took a lot of resources. Anytime there's a shooting, the streets are blocked, officers are canvassing for witnesses," Gall said. "This frees up officers to address littler crimes that affect downtown businesses."

Several people were cited for drug and alcohol use.