21-year-old suspected in Upper Valley El Paso home break-ins caught after foot chase

A 21-year-old man suspected in a series of attempted home break-ins in El Paso’s Upper Valley remained jailed Friday on $12,000 bond.

Jose Luis Balderrama Jr. was arrested early Thursday morning after police said break-in attempts occurred at a home at 6544 Toiva Place and two others in the 6500 block of Hoope.

After Balderrama was reportedly spotted running towards the canal in the area, officers chased him on foot before capturing him in the backyard of a home in the 6400 block of Amber Nicole.

Police said Balderrama was dressed in black and appeared to be the same person seen on surveillance cameras at one of the homes. That video showed a man wearing all black attempting to break in; officers also found broken doors and gates at the three homes from what they said were failed burglary attempts.

Balderrama is charged with criminal mischief and eluding arrest.