Owners being sought for recovered burglary items

SANDOVAL COUNTY — The Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office says it has solved at least nine auto burglaries that occurred in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights or far Northeast Heights and still has a few items that need to be returned to the owners.

“Solving these auto burglaries was a direct result of the arrest of Paul A. Garcia, 24, and Elexus J. Groves, 21, both of Albuquerque,” sheriff’s office spokesman Lt. Keith Elder said in a news release issued this week. Garcia and Groves were caught breaking into the mailboxes on Vista Montana Loop in Placitas on Dec. 27.

Groves, who was driving a stolen 2016 Black Chevrolet Malibu registered to Hertz Car Rental, led police on a short pursuit that resulted in a crash in the town of Bernalillo.

“As a result of the recovery of the stolen car,” Elder said, “Hertz identified 21 other stolen rental cars. Six of the stolen rental cars have been recovered.”

Elder said most of the stolen property has been returned to the burglary victims, but the sheriff’s office still has a few items that need to be returned to the proper owners. The items include watches, jewelry and an auto sound system.

Victims of recent auto burglaries can contact Detective Robert Salas at 505-8677526 to schedule viewing of the remaining property.

Garcia and Groves are facing additional criminal charges as a result of the ongoing investigation, Elder said.