A person of interest has been identified regarding multiple burglaries of Plainview businesses that occurred in 2022. 

The Plainview Police Department announced Monday it received DNA results on Dec. 20 from the Texas Department of Public Safety lab. The DNA tested was recovered from a local dealership following one of the burglaries.  

The DNA matched a New Mexico resident currently incarcerated in the New Mexico Department of Corrections on several counts of burglary.  

The investigation revealed that the same suspect similarly burglarized commercial buildings around the Hobbs, New Mexico area dating back to 2018. He was later convicted and served a multi-year sentence before escaping from custody.  

He is believed to have committed several burglaries and criminal mischief along I-27 in Plainview during his time out of the correctional facility. He broke into Bill Wells Chevrolet where he damaged and stole property around April 13, 2022. A few days later, the same individual was suspected of breaking into Legacy Farms in Plainview on April 15. He also broke into Leal’s Restaurant on April 18. He was again tied to crimes in Plainview in July. The suspect broke into Bill Wells Chevrolet again on July 6 and Panhandle Popcorn on July 8.  

According to police, his method of breaking into most locations was prying open a door. Broken windows were reported at some locations.  

The suspect was captured in action on surveillance video.  

He was also allegedly tied to similar incidents in Brownfield, Big Spring, Levelland and Snyder.  

The suspect was recaptured in Oklahoma and is now in custody in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  

“We are confident that this is the same suspect that broke into several businesses in Plainview and the surrounding from March 2022 through October 2022,” noted Plainview PD in a news release. “We hope that any agencies that have experienced similar burglaries contact our detectives so that we may share this information with them.”  

Law enforcement agencies can contact Lieutenant Cody Ward at 806-296-1196 or Detective Jesse Ortiz at 806-296-1192. 

While the individual has been identified by law enforcement, a name has not been made public as the investigation is ongoing. Detectives are working to see if the suspect has ties to any other similar local crimes before releasing additional details.