Where Ya Going With That Wine In Your Shorts?

Saturday, December 9, 2006

Police Say Shoplifter Packed Over $1,600 in Spirits Down His Pants

By T.J. Wilham
Journal Staff Writer

On two trips to the store, police say Ray Dominguez's shorts doubled as a wine cellar.
But Dominguez is no wine steward, and the cellar he's in now has bars.
Dominguez, 41, was jailed this week on charges of commercial burglary after he went into Talin Market, 88 Louisiana SE, on separate days, and allegedly stuffed several bottles of expensive wine and champagne in his shorts and walked out.
On the first trip, Dominguez was able to waddle out with 10 bottles of wine worth $970 down his undershorts, according to police. On the second trip, they say he shoved five bottles of Dom Perignon champagne worth $675 down his shorts.
Police believe Dominguez duct-taped his shorts to his legs, creating a large bag.
"He kept dropping them in his shorts one right after the other and none of them dropped to the ground," said Albuquerque Police detective Robert Middleton. "Afterwards, he was walking kind of funny."
Police began investigating after a store manager called and reported that he had seen Dominguez on video taking wine out of the store's wine cabinet on two different days. Police also say Dominguez stole a cheese knife from the store and used it to open the cabinet.
Dominguez was arrested after he came in a third time, became scared when people looked at him oddly and left abruptly. A store manager was able to get the license plate number of the car he was in.
Dominguez was charged with two counts of commercial burglary, possession of burglary tools?- the cheese knife?- and tampering with evidence.
He was in custody Friday.