Affidavit: If You're Stealing Cars in San Angelo, Don't Claim You're Doing it to Help the DPS

SAN ANGELO, TX — Two men were indicted this month for unauthorized use of two motor vehicles. The two arrested claimed they did not know the vehicles they were driving were stolen. One claimed he was working with the Texas DPS to break up a car theft ring. Police didn't believe any of it, however. Both were arrested. 

According to court documents, on 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 covering it. The vehicle matched the description of a blue 2008 Honda CRV that was reported stolen from the Park Motel, 2819 Chabourne St. on June 13. The license plate was not on the vehicle so officers continued watching until they could confirm it was in fact the stolen vehicle. 

Officers then witnessed a White 2013 Ford Platinum F-250 pull up, the driver get out of the truck, completely cover the CRV with the tarp, and then leave the residence. Police followed the truck and eventually pulled the driver over at 36th and Bowie. The officers ran the plates and the vehicle came back as stolen under a case by the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office. 

The driver of the truck, 33-year-old Jonathan Borrego, was arrested for outstanding warrants. Police then searched the vehicle and found a Walther 9mm handgun. 

After police read his rights, Borrego told them that he was working with a Texas DPS detective about stolen vehicle at the house on 37th. He told them that "Shady" had given him the vehicle two weeks prior and that "Shady" put the gun in there. He finished by saying that he had not spoken to "Shady" since receiving the truck because his phone stopped working and that he knew the truck was stolen. 

The owner of the truck was called out to the scene and told police that the truck was stolen in the middle of the night on June 12. He remembers hearing it turn on at 2:56 a.m. and then going outside to discover it gone. 

While this traffic stop was happening, another officer still at the house saw a man take the tarp off and get into the Honda CRV and to drive away. The officer pulled him over right next to the stolen F-250 on 36th St. and Bowie and ran the vehicle identification number and confirmed it was stolen also. 

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. 

The two have a post indictment reporting hearing on September 11 at 8:30 a.m.