Stolen van recovered

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Gallup police recovered a stolen van that was taken from a Gallup couple's driveway after the owner left her keys inside the passenger's side door.

Jamison Begay, 18, and Maclenmore McCorky, 19, were arrested in connection with the theft when patrolman Chris Escamilla located the pair driving the stolen van on Highway 602 and Aztec Ave.

During an interview with Lt. Rick White, Begay reportedly confessed to driving the van from the 400 block of Camino Del Sol when he and McCorky saw the keys unattended inside the car.

"It was kind of like a crime of opportunity for them," Capt. John Allen said.

McCorky was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. However, Begay said the pair planned to remove the television, the radio and the VCR from the van and sell them.

Both men were booked into the Gallup-McKinley Adult Detention Center on charges of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.


Occupancy violation
GALLUP — Gallup police evacuated the Sports Page Bar this week for violating occupancy codes.

Capt. Allen said officers noticed a large crowd congregating at the South Second Street location.

The establishment was reportedly about 100 people over their occupancy limit. Allen said the deputy fire marshall Raymond Ross was notified of the situation and cited the manager Benny Vargas for the violation.

Officers reportedly turned the lights on and the music off at the location and its occupants exited voluntarily.

The case was forwarded to the alcohol and gaming division in Sante Fe for any administrative action.