EPPD identifies alleged vehicle burglary ring in West EP; suspect charged

Police say investigators have cleared a series of vehicle burglaries in West El Paso after the arrest of a suspect.

Nichalas Santibanez, 29, of the 300 block of N. Festival, was charged with seven counts of credit or debit card abuse, four counts of burglary of a vehicle and a single count of Theft over $2,500.

Police said Santibanez was charged in connection to a series of vehicle burglaries that happened at various locations in West El Paso in between April and May. “Entry into the vehicles was made through unlocked doors and valuables such as cell phones, laptops, credit cards and personal identification cards were stolen,” police said in a news release.

Santibanez was arrested on May 14, 2019 after police executed a search warrant at his home. A search of the residence allegedly led police to the “discovery of a trove of property identified as stolen, taken from several vehicle burglaries,” officials said.

Santibanez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under bonds totaling $71,000.

Additional charges against Santibanez are being filed. Police said additional arrests for others involved with the ring are pending.