Ads help APD nab crooks

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Their faces are featured in the newspaper and are seen on billboards around town.

Albuquerque police are honing in on crooks who commit property crimes and they said they’re getting results.

Police told News 13 one of the biggest tricks the thieves are using is going door-to-door and when they find a home that is empty they make their move, kicking in the door and grabbing whatever they can as fast as they can.

“A lot of the targets we're seeing are houses without security doors,” Albuquerque Police Department Lt. Harold Medina said. “If there's one recommendation I could just make to the public is that security doors don't always give the most curb appeal to a home, but if a burglar is going to break into a house, he's going to look for a house without a security door.”

Since December, APD has started taking out full-page ads in the newspaper to show residents what their most wanted property crooks look like.

Police said six fugitives on the latest ad, printed in late January, have been arrested.

In total, about 20 criminals have been captured since the ads started running.

Billboard ads featuring wanted fugitives are peppered across the city, too.

Drivers at Lead and Broadway can get a good look at property crime fugitive Michael Candelaria as they wait for the light to change.

Lt. Medina said crooks are also watching out for cars that are warming up.

Police are stressing again, do not leave your car running even if it is locked because it only takes a few seconds for someone to smash in the windows and take off with the car.

APD is asking residents to report any suspicious activity or people right away.

They said it’s better to have an officer come and check out a situation, than to wait too long to call for help.