ALTUS, Okla_An alert Altus resident is being
credited with putting the brakes on a couple of car burglars. Police say they
arrested 18 year old Diego Quirino and another 17 year old man a little after
two o'clock Sunday Morning. They say it's been tough to pinpoint any sort of
pattern since the burglaries were scattered over the city, that is, until Sunday.
Police say the
resident saw a suspicious car doing something unusual and called the police. Once
police caught up to them, they admitted to the crime.
Quirino is just
one half of a duo police believe is responsible for a rash of car break-ins in
a neighborhood in north Altus.
Investigators say they got them, thanks to a vigilant resident.
"They told
us that there was suspicious vehicle up there driving around the area with the
lights out," Chief Tim Murphy said
Murphy said
police had pulled the pair over for that, once they got closer to the car,
police smelled marijuana but Murphy said the pair knew it wouldn't be long
before they were found out and decided to give up.
"At the
scene the actual owner of the vehicle walked up to him and made an admission to
the officer he'd made some mistakes and wanted to talk to the officer."
He admitted to
taking several items from several cars that night including billfolds, a firearm,
knives, clothing and electronic equipment.
Chief Murphy
said the thieves were driving the neighborhood and checking to see if cars
parked outside were unlocked, if they were, he said the thieves considered
whatever items were inside fair game. He said although they've arrested only
two men, it's cracked the case wide open thanks to a homeowner who was paying
attention.
"I commend
the citizen that called in and reported the suspicious vehicle because without
that phone call we very well may not have caught these individuals early Sunday
morning."
Murphy couldn't
give me the exact number of cars the pair hit, but said the case isn't over. They
hope to make more arrests very soon.
Police say Quirino
is expected to be in court Tuesday. They released the 17 year old to the
custody of his parents.
