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Phoenix police officials should have more closely examined allegations made by police Sergeant Phil Roberts about falsified border-related kidnapping statistics before deciding to investigate him for making those claims, according to a federal investigative report obtained by New Times.

That message, found in a 33-page report by the U.S. Office of Inspector General, was hardly a victory for the embattled police sergeant who claims he has endured repeated acts of retaliation at the hands of police officials for exposing the department's fake kidnapping statistics.

However, the OIG did not find that internal investigations or reassignments that Roberts faced in 2010 had anything to do with his claims against the police department.

Roberts, who calls himself a whistleblower, wanted the feds to say the reason he was pulled from the unit investigating kidnapping cases, placed under investigation for misconduct, assigned to desk duty, reassigned to jail duty and prohibited from working off-duty jobs was because he shed light on bloated stats.

But they didn't.

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​Two Phoenix police officers were shot by an armed suspect just after 10 a.m. today.

Details are limited, but the shooting occurred 61st and Virginia Avenues.

One of the officers was shot in the arm, the other suffered a superficial wound to the head.

The suspect was reportedly also shot, but details of his condition are unknown.

Police plan to brief the media later in the day.

Check back for updates.

Buckeye Police Department

Officers Christopher Paz (left) and Rolando Tirado. Tirado was senselessly killed by thugs during a traffic stop early Sunday morning.

​The second officer shot during the execution-style murder of a Buckeye police officer over the weekend is expected to recover, the Phoenix Police Department announced today. Additionally, a third suspect in the case was located, questioned, and released, Phoenix Sergeant Tommy Thompson tells New Times.

A second suspect in the case who was also shot during a "life or death gun battle" between the wounded officer and the suspect who murdered Officer Rolando Tirado also is expected to pull through. It's unclear whether he'll be charged with any crimes.

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Tempe PD

Know this guy? Call the cops.

​Do you know a dude with a ponytail who just happened to get a lot richer in the past few days? Because the Tempe Police Department is looking for a bank robber just like that.

About 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, the guy pictured to the left went into the First Credit Union on the 1200 block of Baseline Road in Tempe, gave the teller a note and "verbally requested money."

Apparently all you have to do is ask nicely for money, because police say the man never threatened or displayed a weapon.

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​Some people just don't know when to give up -- like the three men arrested in Phoenix today after the cops say they committed an armed robbery at a pawn shop, then proceeded to lead police on a car chase, break into a house, kidnap a woman and her 5-year-old son, and hold them hostage as they attempted to escape police.

Phoenix police Sergeant Steve Martos tells New Times it all started about 10:30 a.m. when three men -- whose names haven't been released -- got their guns and went to raid a pawn shop on the 4100 block of West Indian School Road.

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Anita Munoz died yesterday after suffering head injuries during a robbery attempt last week.

​Glendale police have arrested two men in connection with the death of a high school sophomore who police say was either pushed from or dragged by a moving car during a robbery attempt last week.

Lino Chavez and Jose Solis Apodaca, both 18, were arrested for the murder of 16-year-old Anita Munoz, who died yesterday morning after suffering head injuries sustained during last Wednesday's robbery.

According to police, Munoz was sitting on a bench near the office of her apartment complex near 6700 West Ocotillo Road when Chavez and Apodaca rolled up in a blue Nissan Xterra.

Chavez stayed in the driver's seat of the car while Apodaca got out and tried to steal a computer the girl was using.

Munoz, family members later told police, had taken her laptop to the office to use the Internet so she could apply for jobs because she wanted to help her mother with bills.

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Peoria Police Department

Wanted in connection with rock-armed robbery.

​Peoria police detectives are still on the hunt for a man who reportedly robbed a gas station convenience store near 83rd Avenue and Bell Road with a rock last week.

The suspect threatened to bash the clerk's head in with the rock, which was described by the clerk as being "the size of a human foot," Peoria Police Spokesman Jay Davies told New Times.

An adult human foot ... we checked.


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Phoenix Police Department

​The Phoenix Police Department is asking the public's help in tracking down a guy who's robbed six Circle K convenience stores in just over a week.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, between March 4, and March 13, the suspect hit six stores in Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, and Tempe.


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If you know this guy, call the cops.

​The Peoria Police Department needs the public's help in tracking down a man they say stole a few Heinekens from a Circle K convenience store last night.

According to police, the thief stole two 12-packs of Heineken from a Circle K near 87th Avenue and Bell Road. During the heist, a man named Brandyn Asbury tried to stop the beer bandit, but was unable to do so.

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MCSO

Jennathea Nozie is now charged with the murder of her boyfriend, Ernesto Lopez, after he was shot by police during a robbery gone wrong.

​The man fatally shot by Phoenix police officers early yesterday morning has been identified as 26-year-old Ernesto Lopez. And Lopez, it appears, left two women in charge of the getaway car as he attempted (and failed morbidly) to rob a 7-11 convenience store.

Those women, Lopez's girlfriend, 26-year-old Jennathea Nozie, and 33-year-old Antoinette Manzanares, have since been charged with first-degree murder.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, officers responded to a robbery in progress at the convenience store near 48th Street and McDowell Road about 2 a.m. yesterday.

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