Thief Caught Due to Suspicious Behavior

A 34-year-old San Angelo man was arrested this weekend after police recovered a stolen vehicle and stolen property.

On Friday night just before midnight, San Angelo Police Patrol Officer A. Aguilar observed a 2001 Nissan Xterra pass him and enter the parking lot of the San Angelo Lodge located at 1717 W. Beauregard Ave.  Officer Aguilar noted the driver’s overreaction to seeing his patrol car and followed the driver to determine if criminal activity was taking place.

Officer Aguilar located the Xterra in the parking lot, however, it was no longer occupied.  A computer check of the license plate showed the Xterra had been reported stolen out of Lubbock, Texas. Officer Aguilar requested additional officers to the scene to assist in locating the driver.

Officers contacted Lodge employees and learned that a male driver and female passenger were seen walking away from the vehicle towards the pool area and that the male connected to the vehicle had previously been issued a Criminal Trespass Warning from the property. 

Police soon located the man, later identified as Shawn Clark (DOB 06-01-79) of San Angelo, at the pool area. Clark was in possession of the key belonging to the stolen Xterra.  The female passenger was later located inside one of the rooms.

Subsequent to the field investigation, police located suspected stolen property connected to Clark and his female passenger.  Detective B. Elrod and CSI personnel responded to the scene to continue the investigation. Upon closer inspection of the suspected stolen property, police determined the property resembled items that were previously reported stolen from a burglary on Oxford Drive. The victim of that burglary was summoned to the scene and the stolen property was identified and released to the owner.

Clark was charged with Burglary of a Habitation and Criminal Trespass. He was transported to the Tom Green County Jail without incident. The female passenger was released from the scene after being issued a Criminal Trespass Warning from the property.

The Xterra was towed from the scene.

This is an ongoing investigation and additional charges may be filed in the future relating to the stolen vehicle investigation.