Camera catches crooks escape

SANTA FE, N.M. {KRQE} - Daniel Martinez is back in custody as of Thursday night, but surveillance footage from Thursday morning shows he is a pretty clever crook, and a brazen one at that.

“We believe it was a paper clip, but we don't know,” State Police Lt. Eric Garcia said about the device Martinez used to escape.

It was 3 a.m., three hours after Martinez was hauled into the state police booking center in Santa Fe for DWI and possession of cocaine. The officer who arrested him is just out of the shot of the camera, filling out paperwork. Martinez eyes something, and goes for it. It falls, so he reaches out his foot to get it. Once in his hand, he goes to work, constantly looking back at the officer.

After about 10 minutes, the lock gives, and he simply walks out. After a short trip down the hall, he opens another door and is caught by a different security camera.

Martinez can't get the final door open, because a button has to be pressed to open it. He giggles the handle several times and pushes on the door. The noise alerted a dispatcher in the office, but by the time she looked, Martinez had realized he needed to push the button, and was gone. In fact it would take a bit before anyone realized it.

“Four minutes is a long time for someone to be able to get up walk out the front door and make a bolt for it,” Lt. Garcia said,

Martinez has a long rap sheet.

“Daniel J. Martinez is a frequent flyer of the law enforcement system,” Garcia added.

In fact, Martinez was the main suspect in an infamous Santa Fe murder case back in 1992. Police searched for him after he was accused of raping a woman, and killing a pharmacist who heard her screams and came to help. Martinez fled, but was caught in California. A jury found him not guilty, but just a year later he was convicted of dealing drugs and served 13 years.

When he was caught Wednesday night, Lt. Garcia said Martinez had another warrant out for his arrest for failing to appear on traffic tickets. After his little stunt, state police aren't taking any chances with him.

“He's double cuffed to the bar at this point, so unless he turns out to be Houdini he is staying back there.” Garcia said.

A tip led police to an Albuquerque barber shop where Martinez was captured. His little escape lasted 12 hours. State police brass are reviewing the escape and will likely make changes in the holding area to keep it from happening again.