Homeowner: Rash of Far East EP car burglaries ended after police arrested suspect

A Far East El Paso homeowner told ABC-7 he recorded footage of a group of juveniles stealing $300 dollars from his car.

Lawrence Madrid and his wife, who live on Tierra Cortez street, inadvertently left the money they collected for their son’s baseball team inside their car, parked right outside their home. The next day, the money was gone.

Madrid checked his surveillance camera and saw a kid, who appeared to be in his early teens, approaching his truck. The kid is seen checking the door on Madrid’s truck. The kid and an older male are then seen breaking into a car right next to Madrid’s truck. A surveillance camera system in Madrid’s home captured the alleged burglary on camera. ABC-7 obtained the footage from Madrid, but blurred the suspects’ faces because they have not been charged with a crime – yet.

“It absolutely angers me. If there’s valuable stuff within my car, and they took it, yes it absolutely angers me,” Madrid said. He and his wife showed police the video and officers checked for finger prints.

An officer later told Madrid they arrested a 21 year old man, allegedly seen in the surveillance footage. The 21-year-old allegedly recruited kids to check on cars and he would then move in to burglarize the vehicles, Madrid said.

The break-ins didn’t stop with Madrid’s car. Minutes later, the group crosses the street and checks inside other cars.

“They had stolen a wallet from one vehicle which had a thousand dollars in it. They also stole a wedding ring, sunglasses and watches,” Madrid said.

The homeowner told ABC-7 the rash of car break-ins stopped after the arrest.

“I’m absolutely glad they’re caught. It makes our streets safer,” Madrid said, “I have small children and I don’t want any harm to come to them, you know, I don’t want my belongings stolen.”