Burglars fire shots, grab priceless papers

LOS CHAVEZ, N.M. (KRQE) - The search is on for a trio of burglars who opened fire on a neighbor trying to stop their crime.

But beyond that, the crooks stole irreplaceable papers about the victim's two adopted children

The trouble began around noon Wednesday on Morgan Road in Los Chavez between Los Lunas and Belen.

A man saw a car that didn't belong in his neighbor's yard and then saw two men and a woman pulling items out of the house.

Deputies say that is when the man got in his truck and blocked the driveway to prevent the thieves from getting away.

Detective John Gordon with the Valencia County Sheriff's Department says when the man refused to move the thieves pulled out a gun and threatened him. The man still did not budge, and that's when one of the burglars fired two rounds into his truck.

The trio--two men and a woman--were then able to force their way through the gate and get away.

They were driving a sun-faded maroon 1990's Buick or Oldsmobile.

Along with electronics and jewelry, homeowner Denise Jaramillo says the thieves made off with a lockbox containing irreplaceable papers on her adopted children. They include original adoption papers from China and Ukraine, birth certificates, original birth pictures and journals.

Jaramillo fears the thieves will destroy the papers once they realize they are of no monetary value. She hopes they will instead leave the box in a public place so someone can find it and return it to them.

The cream-colored box is about the size of a desk drawer and has a lock on the front.

Jaramillo says she is thankful her neighbor wasn't hurt and extremely thankful for what he did. They just hope these thieves don't hurt anyone else.