APD says busy burglar busted

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Police say their most recent suspect is a busy burglar who knows what he wants and knows how to get it.

Tyler Wheeler, 27, was arrested Monday on 10 counts of residential burglary, 10 counts of breaking and entering and larceny over $50,000.

Albuquerque Police Department detectives say he targets neighborhoods generally surrounding the Albuquerque Academy.

"It's hard to say how long he's been doing this," said Detective Scott Norris. "He has an active felony warrant out of California for the same type of crime. He's also involved in forgery and fraud."

According to police the serial burglar likes to hit expensive-looking homes in the Northeast Heights. They say he knocks on doors, and breaks in when no one is home.

Detectives say he usually steals jewelry, electronics, guns and golf clubs because he can them around quickly for cash.

After Wheeler was busted, police started interviewing recent burglary victims in the neighborhood and found there were many common links.

They say homes that Wheeler targets are hit on weekdays between the 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Usually the victims report someone casing the home prior to the break in.

So far Wheeler is a suspect in 17 cases, and police think there could be more.

"Even if they did not report it at the time, but they have some sort of documentation or documented that their house was broken into, victims can still come forth and report those burglaries because the statute of limitation has not run out on this case," Norris said.

Norris said it's possible Wheeler has been targeting the neighborhood for at least the last four months. He may be working with accomplices and is likely selling the loot for cash to buy drugs.