PD: City workers steal from university

SOCORRO. NM (KRQE) - Socorro police allege two city workers, who are also brothers, were busted for stealing copper from a public university, and investigators say they have pictures to prove it.

Monday morning New Mexico Tech police filed charges with the District Attorney’s office against two city of Socorro workers. Detectives said a hidden motion-activated camera snapped pictures of Billy Silva, 36, and Tony Silva, 47, in a university storage yard that’s been hit by copper thieves for weeks.

Police said on Feb. 8 the camera snapped pictures of the Silvas arriving in a city of Socorro work truck. After the brothers left more pictures showed copper wire was missing. Police pulled the two in for questioning last week. Detectives said the pair finally confessed to stealing hundreds of feet of the copper commodity.

Detectives said since January that same storage yard has been hit hard by copper thieves.

“Overall it came out over 3,700 feet,” Assistant Chief of Police George Murillo said.

Murillo said they were only able to link the pair to about 200 feet of the stolen loot because they allegedly took it to a Socorro recycling center. That still leaves 3,500 feet of copper wire unaccounted for.

Detectives said both men face several charges including larceny.  However, criminal charges are not their only concern. The city is investigating the matter, too.

According to the city, the Silvas work for the Parks Department. They're supposed to maintaining the parks around the city, and that's why they have a city vehicle. However, police said during one of their lunch breaks they took that vehicle onto university grounds and stole copper.

Socorro Mayor Ravi Bhasker learned about the investigation last week and immediately put the brothers on paid administrative leave.

“As far as the city is concerned that's a major violation,” Bhasker said.

The mayor said it doesn't matter if the pair was on the clock or not. He said if the city finds merit to the allegations the two brothers could be suspended or even lose their jobs.

Bhasker said he's waiting to take any permanent action until he talks to the employees, sees the criminal complaints and the pictures.