Posts tagged Police Department
Scammers failing in Xcel ruse, so far
Jan 25th
Boulder police have received three complaints from local business owners who say scammers pretending to be Xcel Energy employees have targeted their businesses.
The complainants have shared similar stories with investigators that begin with a phone call claiming that the customer’s utility account is past due and is about to be disconnected within the next few hours. The victims are then told to pay the bill immediately via a wire service like Western Union or a prepaid debit card like MoneyPak. In one case, the phone scammer wanted to meet the potential victim to get the money in person.
The three businesses which were targeted received calls on Jan. 15, Jan. 17, and Jan. 20. In each case, the victims contacted police and Xcel to check that their accounts were in good standing.
So far, no one has fallen for the scheme and Boulder police would like to make sure that area residents and business owners are aware of the scam.
People should be wary of giving personal information like bank account numbers or social security numbers over the phone. It’s also a red flag if telemarketers use high-pressure tactics such as saying “you must pay now or lose your service.”
Anyone who has questions about their Xcel account may contact Xcel’s customer service center at 800-895-4999, or customerservice@xcelenergy.com.
Anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a phone scam may report it to the Boulder Police Department at 303-441-3333.
Suspect in nearly a dozen robberies arrested
Jan 2nd
Boulder police have arrested the suspect investigators believe is responsible for a string of robberies in the city and in Boulder County. Alishan Yapoujian (DOB 11/23/1988) is in the Boulder County Jail after being arrested on a charge of Aggravated Robbery.
Boulder detectives have been working with other law enforcement agencies during the investigations. On New Year’s Eve, the Colorado State Patrol located the black Chevy Blazer that Boulder police were looking for in connection with a robbery at the Conoco gas station, located at 4742 Table Mesa Drive, and another gas station located in the county, which occurred on Dec. 29, 2013. The vehicle was located in Niwot, CO.
Detectives identified a male they believed was the getaway driver of the Blazer in the Conoco robbery. He was cooperative with police and investigators were able to obtain information about the robbery suspect, Alishan Yapoujian. Police are not identifying the suspected getaway driver at this time.
On Dec. 31, 2013, Boulder police partnered with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office to execute a search warrant of Yapoujian’s residence, along with a warrant for his arrest, in the 6300 block of Arapahoe.
Police believe Yapoujian is responsible for 10 robberies in the city of Boulder, as well as two other robberies in Boulder County. Those cases are still being investigated. The Boulder Police Department has been working closely with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, and it’s likely that more charges will be filed against Yapoujian. We also anticipate further arrests in this series of robberies.
Boulder police are grateful for the assistance of the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, the Colorado State Patrol, the Lafayette Police Department and the Longmont Police Department.
Detective Kurt Foster is the lead investigator in the robbery cases. Anyone with information may contact him at 303-441-4329. Those who have information but wish to remain anonymous may contact the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-444-3776. Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at www.crimeshurt.com. Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers.
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Robber strikes again!
Dec 31st
The Boulder Police Department is investigating an Aggravated Robbery which occurred at 10:04 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2013 at The Boulder Beer & Liquor Emporium. The store is located at 4700 Table Mesa Drive.
Two male employees told police that a Hispanic male entered the store, approached the counter and demanded cash. The lower half of the suspect’s face was covered, possibly with a black bandana. The suspect displayed a handgun tucked into the waistband of his jeans during the robbery. No one was injured.
One of the employees handed over an undisclosed amount of cash to the suspect, who left the store on foot in an unknown direction.
The employees described the suspect as:
- Hispanic male
- Spoke with a Spanish accent
- Mid-twenties
- 5’7” tall
- 135 pounds
- Black hair, brown eyes, “bushy” eyebrows
- Wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans, with hood covering his head. May have been wearing a beanie cap.
The case number is 13-17225.