Police chase accused Las Cruces smoke shop burglar, find him hiding in trash dumpster

EL PASO, Texas – A Las Cruces police officer spotted a suspected burglar and chased the man, eventually finding him hiding in a dumpster, authorities said Monday.

Marcus Volpato, 19, of Las Cruces is facing felony counts of criminal damage to property, non-residential burglary and breaking and entering. He is also facing a misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing a police officer.

Early Sunday morning, an officer was patrolling a shopping area along the 1000 block of East University when he spotted a masked man standing in front of a broken window at the World Peace Smoke Shop.

The masked man took off running, between buildings. The police officer drove around to the back of the business and found the man hiding in a commercial waste dumpster.

The man, later identified as Volpato, was taken into custody without incident.

Upon further investigation, police said they found Volpato’s backpack nearby and a handgun inside the dumpster. The backpack contained products believed to be stolen from the smoke shop.

Volpato was being held without bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center.