Mini Mart sleuths ID suspect on video

RIO COMMUNITIES, N.M. (KRQE) - A Valencia County business owner did a little detective work of his own last week connecting a burglary suspect recorded on security video to a customer and his transaction the day before.

Daniel Getchell, 27, has since been arrested and charged with burglarizing Al's Mini Mart in Rio Communities on Oct. 10.

Surveillance cameras at the store recorded a burglar entering through the ceiling. Owner Mark Jaramillo said the man scaled a barbed wire fence, climbed to the roof and came in through the ducts.

The intruder quickly tripped the alarm and within a minute left the way he came in.

As deputies worked to identify the suspect, Jaramillo and his employees figured out who he might be. They noticed a number 3 on the man's jacket, went back to video from the day before and found a man wearing the same jacket.

A manager said the man was a regular customer who could be seen on the video using a debit card to pay for his purchase. The Mini-Mart sleuths then reviewed transactions until they found that purchase linked to Getchell.

Deputies arrested Getchell Monday at work at the Los Lunas Wal-Mart. He is now charged with breaking and entering, commercial burglary and criminal damage to property.

Jaramillo said the burglar caused thousands of dollars in damage when he broke into the store through the roof.