Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Four Charged in 'Police' Crimes

By Jeff Proctor And Dan Mckay
Journal Staff Writers
       Albuquerque police have four men in custody and are looking for one more who allegedly stole at least $10,000 worth of cash and electronics while dressed in bogus police gear during several home invasions across the city in the past month, officials said.
    Authorities say the five men, all of whom are either brothers or cousins, are responsible for four home invasions — two in the southeast part of the city, two in the southwest — between June 13 and July 4.
    Police Chief Ray Schultz said Monday that officers believe that the men, who live at a residence on the 3900 block of Calle de Valle SW, might have been involved in another half-dozen home invasions that haven't been reported.
    Steven Torres, 29, Adan Torres, 19, and Javier Torres, whose age was not available, were arrested early Monday, authorities said. All three were booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center, where they remained Monday evening on $500,000 cash-only bonds, against felony charges of armed robbery, aggravated residential burglary, conspiracy, larceny over $500, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment.
    Luciano Torres turned himself in Monday evening, according to APD spokeswoman Nadine Hamby. Detectives were still looking for Brian Lee Torres as of late Monday. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
    In each of the four incidents the Torreses are charged in, the men wore black military-style pants, black T-shirts with "Police" written on the back and on the sleeves, black gloves and black ski masks, according to the chief. Most of the men carried handguns during the incidents.
    The home invasions took place on June 13 at 4009 Zorro SE; at 407 Hazeldine SW on June 25; June 27 at 710 Kathryn SE; and on July 4 at 1808 Desert Breeze SW, Hamby said.
    A confidential informant tipped detectives off to the Torreses' whereabouts on Sunday, police said. Officers served a search warrant at the Calle del Valle residence, where they arrested the three men and collected several items possibly related to the crimes. The three Torreses in custody told detectives they had committed several home invasions, including some that have not yet been reported, according to the chief.
    Mayor Martin Chávez said during a news conference Monday that the city would ask prosecutors to add hate-crime "enhancements" to the charges against the Torreses. The Torreses apparently targeted illegal Mexican immigrants who were afraid to call the police, he said.
    "We're not going to tolerate that in the city of Albuquerque," Chávez said.