Teen arrested for auto burglary

PNT staff reports

A 14-year-old Roosevelt County boy was arrested Sunday in connection with an auto burglary consistent with 12 other auto burglaries that occurred in the last few days, according to Portales Police.

The boy was charged with one count of auto burglary, a fourth-degree felony, and resisting and evading an officer, a misdemeanor. He was released to his parents.

Charges are pending against another juvenile, said Police Deputy Chief Lonnie Berry.

The burglaries were reported between 7 a.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Monday, according to call logs. Berry said they all showed a consistent pattern.

According to police reports:

• About 6:10 a.m. Sunday, an officer was called to the area of East 17th and South Abilene streets in reference to a report of an auto burglary in progress.

• A neighbor said he saw two males inside a vehicle. They ran when he yelled at them.

• The officer found two boys matching the description walking west on 15th Street between South Abilene and South Main Street.

• The boys ran north on Main Street when they saw the police vehicle.

• The officer called for them to stop and chased them through backyards and over brick fences. He fell at the fences, causing minor injuries to his hands, left arm and left leg.

• The officer got up and pursued the boys until he lost sight of them at 14th Street and South Avenue A.

• The officer retrieved a backpack he saw one of the boys drop in a backyard.

• Two other officers found one of the boys behind a shed in the alley between South Main and Avenue A.

• The backpack contained numerous items that matched descriptions of property stolen the day before.

Berry said officers are still working to identify the recovered property.