With a few white lies and a little ingenuity last spring, the manager and crew at Goodyear Tire Store in Woodland helped the UC Davis police department nab a pair of credit card thieves. The crew members at Goodyear are some of 21 people this year who will receive Citizen Appreciation Awards from the UC Davis police department following a lunch on Monday, Nov. 9, at UC Davis Medical Center. After receiving an order for an expensive pair of chrome rims, manager Dave Bright got a call from the police notifying him that the credit card being used for the purchase was stolen from a UC Davis student. Employees Luis Gallardo, Lyle Walrath and Richard Hydo stalled delivery of the rims about a week to give the officers a chance to set up a stakeout. "Of course, the day the suspect came to pick up his rims, the police weren't here, so we told him a little white lie that the rims hadn't arrived," Walrath said. "We had them stashed in the back of the store." After a few days, the tire store called the suspect to let him know the rims were in, trying to set up a time when the police would be there as well. The suspect said he would arrive at noon, so the police planned to be there at11 a.m. The suspect arrived at 9:30 a.m. Walrath said they advised the suspect of a possible problem underneath the car and offered to inspect it for free. The suspect agreed and the crew hoisted the car up on racks, inspecting it for the time it took the police to arrive and make an arrest. The arrest led to the identification and arrest of a second suspect who was involved in additional burglaries and thefts from the UC Davis campus. Also honored at the annual campus police awards ceremony will be: Wanda Brown, a parking employee at the medical center, who recognized a missing 80-year-old man from the hospital during her lunch hour and immediately contacted police. Her quick action averted a dangerous situation and resulted in the man's safe return. Larry Wilson, assistant director of facilities services at the medical center, for his support of the police department during special events. He made sure patients, visitors, faculty and staff were safe during the events. Brian Paciotti, anthropology graduate student, who reported an attempted burglary at Young Hall, described the suspect well and later that same day identified the burglar in a line-up. Paciotti testified in court during the preliminary hearing and later in the criminal trial. Kenneth Anderson, a technician in facilities design and construction at the medical center, who created a map book and compact disk of the medical center and surrounding neighborhood to help officers respond to calls faster and assist dispatchers in finding locations. Paul Fitzgerald, professor of cell biology and human anatomy, and graduate student Daryle De Pianto, for their fast thinking and heroic efforts in detaining two burglary suspects at the Medical Science Complex until police could arrive to make an arrest. The police were eventually able to arrest five suspects for burglary; three adult suspects have pled guilty. Felicia Goldwire, administrative assistant in medical-staff administration, Mike Nobrega, a university bus driver, and Edgar Perez, grounds keeper, for their assistance in finding a missing 9-year-old girl. When they found her, she threatened to commit suicide if they took her home. After a brief stay at the Sacramento Mental Health Center, she is back home, and her family is now receiving counseling. "They not only helped us do our job, but they may have saved a child's life," said Officer Claudia Crichton. Grant Meyer, trauma technician in the emergency room, for his continual assistance in dealing with combative patients and out-of-control situations. Crichton recalled when she was a rookie 11 years ago that Grant helped her recapture a naked, mentally disturbed patient. After Grant helped corner him in the emergency room and get cuffs on him, Crichton remembers asking Grant to "turn him over so we don't have to look at his nakedness!" She commended Grant for his ready help any time her back-up patrol officer is still enroute. Suvarna Bhatt and Mary Wall, UC Davis students, and Steve Valadez and Matthew Bachman, grounds keepers, for preventing a bicycle theft. Bhatt and Wall saw from their dorm room window two men use a pair of bolt cutters to cut a lock on a bike. Suvarna called police and Wall went outside to watch the men from a distance. Valadez and Bachman also received a call about two men cutting a lock at Tercero L building. After they got to the area, the suspects left. Valadez and Bachman were able to get the license plate number, vehicle description and a direction of travel. Lisa Green, paramedic, for her professional direction and assistance when a vehicle drove over the embankment on east-bound Interstate 80, between the UC Davis and Davis exits. One patient was dead and two others were critically injured in the accident. Throughout the ordeal, she coordinated the efforts of three fire companies, two ambulances and nine police officers from three different agencies. Joe Silva, supervisor of patient-escort services at the medical center, who helped find and rescue a 2-year-old child locked in a car on a warm day. Silva helped calm the frightened, screaming child while Officer Victoria Walkup tried to open the door. After 10 minutes, they were able to remove the child from the back seat. The toddler was taken to the emergency room and treated for heat stroke. The child's baby sitter, who was visiting at the hospital, was arrested. Tommy Steele, hospital visitor, for tackling and detaining a suspect who had run away from officers in the medical center parking structure. The suspect had jumped numerous fences, trying to elude officers when he jumped into the yard of the Cancer Cottages where Steele was outside with his family. Risking injury to himself and his family, Steele detained the subject until Officers Brandon Luke and Nader Oweis were able to handcuff him. The suspect was a parolee with several warrants out for his arrest. He was arrested on eight other charges and sent to prison.