Three jailed for area car burglaries

Photo 1: Cruz; Photo 2: Wilson

Three people from Miami, Fla., were arrested following a rash of automobile burglaries in High Springs Sunday afternoon.  A fourth person was believed to be involved, but was not caught.

The High Springs Police Department (HSPD) reportedly received a call from a resident who said he was watching a man break into several cars at the High Springs Civic Center.

As HSPD officers Steve Holley and Ryan Scott arrived at the scene, the caller told the dispatcher the man in question just entered a small red four-door sedan and appeared to be leaving the area.

When HSPD Officer Steve Holley tried to stop the car, the driver attempted to run into him, said HSPD Chief James Troiano.  It was at that point that items were allegedly being thrown from the red car as it fled the area.  Police lost sight of the car near the 1000 block of North Main Street due to dusty road conditions, according to an HSPD report.

Police located the car a short time later while it was parked behind Economy Mini Storage on U.S. Highway 441.  As officers approached the car, four occupants exited and ran in different directions.  Holley was able to catch Jamie F. Cruz, 22, of Miami, said Troiano.  She was charged with three counts of burglary and one count of resisting an officer without violence.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Sergeant Mike Powers and Alachua Police Department (APD) officers were able to arrest two men who were believed to have been involved.

One of the men was nabbed after reportedly being spotted walking along U.S. 441 and described by a motorist as “tired.”

Rigoberto Wilson, 24, of Miami, Fla., was arrested and also charged with three counts of burglary and one count of resisting an officer without violence.

Also of Miami, a minor, 17-year-old Tommy F. Blash, Jr. was charged with three counts of burglary.

The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) also filed charges of burglary and grand theft against Cruz and Wilson.

Officers later stopped a gold minivan after the eyewitness to the burglaries called HSPD to report the location of the van he believed was with the red car at the Civic Center earlier that day.  All four of the men in that minivan were found to be from the Miami area, said Troiano.  They were not charged, but officers said it was clear they knew the occupants of the red sedan.

A search of the red vehicle resulted in officers locating hundreds of licenses and credit cards, glass shards and a window punch.

HSPD officers are expected to be working over the next week to contact all of the owners of the licenses and credit cards, as well as applicable law enforcement agencies to resolve any related vehicle burglaries.