Thieves hit strip mall again

SHOP OWNERS AT AN ALBUQUERQUE STRIP MALL ARE FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THIEVES TARGETING THEIR BUSINESSES TONIGHT WE GET A LOOK AT ONE OF THE SUSPECTS IN ACTION — A SUSPECT WHO MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE TOO DRUNK TO PULL OFF THE CRIME ERIC KAHNERT IS LIVE AT MENAUL AND PENNSYLVANIA WITH THE VIDEO - IT S TONIGHT S TOP STORY ERIC THIEVES HAVE HIT THIS STRIP MALL A HALF DOZEN TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS SOME OF THE CRIMES ARE STILL UNSOLVED BUT THE LATEST BREAK-IN WAS A CINCH FOR DETECTIVES TO SOLVE THERE S A STORY BEHIND THIS SCUFFED-UP RED SCUBA TANK NOW ON SALE AT THE NEW MEXICO SCUBA CENTER LAST WEDNESDAY AROUND MIDNIGHT THE OWNER OF THE STORE GOT A CALL FROM HIS ALARM COMPANY 21 39 someone had bashed in my window and made entry into the store and tried to steal a television and DVD player -8 THANKS TO THE SECURITY SYSTEM THE OWNER INSTALLED HE WAS ABLE TO SHOW POLICE THE PROOF POLICE SAY THE THIEF IS 49 YEAR OLD THOMAS URBAN THEY SAY URBAN USED THIS 2 BY 4 TO BUST A HOLE IN THE WINDOW CUT HIS HAND WHILE SQUEEZING THROUGH THEN WALKED OVER TO THE TV AND TRIED TO TAKE OFF WITH IT THE OWNER WAS TOLD BY POLICE THAT URBAN WAS TOO DRUNK TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE T-V OUT OF THE STORE MARY JIMENEZ THE OWNER OF THE JEWELRY STORE NEXT DOOR WAS ROBBED ON THE SAME DAY AS THE BREAK-IN 28 57 they always say desperate times desperate measures -3 A WOMAN PRETENDED TO BE INTERESTED IN AN EXPENSIVE ITEM THEN GRABBED IT FROM THE SALESPERSON AND TOOK OFF 27 43 i think it s horrendous first of all because the item that was stolen was a crucifix -6 ANOTHER STORE IN THE STRIP MALL HAS BEEN HIT BY THIEVES THAT MAKES 6 THEFTS OR ATTEMPTED BURGLARIES SINCE NOVEMBER 22 13 they deserve whatever they get I understand the economy is bad it s going to get worse however you don t need to steal -9 AS FOR HOW THEY CAUGHT UP WITH URBAN BECAUSE HE COULDN T GET THE T-V OUT OF THE STORE POLICE SAY HE DECIDED TO STEAL THAT RED SCUBA TANK POLICE SAY WHEN THEY PULLED HIM OVER DOWN THE ROAD FOR RUNNING A RED LIGHT THEY FOUND THE TANK IN THE BACK OF HIS PICKUP THAT ALONG WITH HIS BLOODY HAND — LED TO A TRIP TO THE COUNTY JAIL THIS IS URBANS 13TH ARREST IN 9 YEARS IN FACT HE WAS AWAITING TRIAL FROM A DECEMBER CRIMINAL TRESPASS CHARGE THE SHOP OWNERS HERE SAY POLICE HAVE STEPPED UP PATROLS IN THIS AREA LOOKING FOR THE OTHER THIEVES REPORTING LIVE IN NORTHEAST ALBUQUERQUE