Surveillance Leads San Angelo Police to Stolen Vehicles

SAN ANGELO, TX -- One man was arrested on Saturday for stealing a car that belonged to the owner of the Park Motel. 

According to court documents, nn June 22, the San Angelo Police Department's Street Crimes Division was conducting surveillance at a house on the 700 block of E. 37th St. for a possible stolen car. 

When police arrived they noticed a blue car with a tarp partially on it. The vehicle matched the description of a 2008 blue Honda CRV that was stolen from the Park Motel on June 13. The license plate was not on the vehicle so officers continued watching until they could confirm it was stolen. 

Officers then saw a Ford F-250 pull up, the driver get out of the truck, completely cover the CRV, and then left the residence. Police followed the truck and eventually pulled him over. Once running the plates the officer discovered that the truck was stolen. The unidentified driver was arrested. 

While this traffic stop was going on another officer still at the house saw a man get into the Honda CRV and try to drive away. The officer pulled him over just next to the stolen F-250 on 36th St. and Bowie and ran the vehicle identification number to confirm it was stolen. 

The driver of the Honda CRV, 33-year-old Ruben Lira, told police that he was just taking the car to his girlfriend and that he did not know it was stolen. 

According to the affidavit, the owner of the vehicle was called to the scene. He told them that on June 11, he let one of his employee's drive the car and two days later it was stolen. He also said he did not know Lira and he did not have permission to drive the car. 

Lira was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving while license invalid, failure to drive in a single lane, failure to stop and leave information, not wearing a seat belt while driving a car, and one other miscellaneous CPF. 

He is currently in the Tom Green County Jail on a $10,718.20 bond.