
Missoula Police Apprehend Suspect Linked to Thefts and Shoplifting
Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On January 28, 2025, at approximately 1:05 PM, a Missoula Police Department Officer was driving in the area of South 4th Street West and Catlin Street when she observed a red Chevrolet Silverado. The officer recognized the vehicle because it had been called in numerous times for being the suspect vehicle in thefts and shoplifting. The owner, 38-year-old Christopher Schwanz, was the suspect in those incidents.
Schwanz also had a note in his profile that another officer wanted to speak with him regarding an active investigation. The officer parked, exited her patrol vehicle, and approached the unoccupied truck. The officer looked around the truck from the outside to so see if she could observe any of the reported stolen items from the various thefts. While doing this, Schwanz exited a trailer nearby and walked over to where officers were investigating.
Officers explained why they were there and as they were obtaining updated contact information, they observed the top of a needle in Schwanz’s pocket. Schwanz was then placed into handcuffs and detained for further investigation.
The officer asked Schwanz if she could retrieve the needle from his pocket and he consented. The officer pulled the needle out and observed there was a crystal-like substance inside the needle which from her training and experience suspected it to be methamphetamine.
Schwanz was escorted to a patrol vehicle and advised of his Miranda rights which he understood and waived. According to court documents, the officer advised Schwanz that she suspected the substance in the needle to be methamphetamine, to which Schwanz responded in the affirmative.
READ MORE: Missoula News – Crime Reports
The officer placed Schwanz under arrest and transported him to the Missoula County Detention Facility. After leaving the jail, the officer went back to the Missoula Police Department and used a TruNarc scanner on the syringe. The TruNarc scanner showed presumptive positive for methamphetamine. The syringe was later logged into evidence to be transported to the Montana State Crime Lab for chemical analysis.
Schwanz is currently being charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.
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