ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque Police Department Interim Chief Harold Medina held a news conference on Wednesday, December 30 to discuss efforts to tackle property crime. “Property crime accounts for 75% of all crime in Albuquerque, and we have dramatically reduced those crimes during the past three years,” said Chief Medina.

Medina highlighted a 39% decrease in auto theft between 2017 and 2019. APD reports updated crime statistics will be released after the start of the new year.

Medina attributed the drop in property crime to the efforts of the department’s Anti-Crime operations in addition to a recent operation targeting property crime offenders during the holidays. APD reports the 2020 Holiday Tact Plan resulted in the following:

  • 44 felony arrests
  • 29 stolen vehicles recovered
  • 3 bait car arrests
  • 10 firearms recovered

APD highlighted a suspect who was arrested during the holiday operation. Thirty-three-year-old Kameron Pennell was arrested on Nov. 28, 2020.

Police say after a brief foot chase, officers recognized Pennell who fled from them a month before. Pennell was charged for felony possession of meth.

APD states Pennell has been arrested or charged for more than two dozen times for property crimes and in 2020 alone, he was arrested or charged five times in Sandoval County, Bernalillo County, and by APD for auto theft, fleeing police, robbery and narcotics.

“This is a cycle that is resulting from our broken criminal justice system that is not properly funded and can’t handle the strain,” said Chief Medina. “Despite these challenges, I want the public to be aware of how hard our officers are working every day to continue to make arrests and community safe.”

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