WACO, Texas — It was Tuesday, May 11 when surveillance footage was taken at the CMC Auto Group in Waco showing two people allegedly burglarizing the store.
CMC Auto Group General Manager Justin Kramer says at about 1 a.m., two suspects broke into the business. In the process of this, the suspects broke a car window, damaged a door and ripped off a sheet of a metal wall.
"We had 20 years worth of accumulated tools inside there, estimating probably close to the $20,000 range," Kramer shared. "For us as a small business, that's that's a big chunk."
After calling 911 and filing a report with Waco Police, Kramer says he made a call to 6 News to help circulate the surveillance footage and get the word out about the burglary.
An hour after the story aired on 6 News that same day, Kramer says his phone blew up with tips from the community.
"Someone had reached out to the McLennan County mugshots page and got their mugshots up," Kramer explained. "I started getting text messages, Facebook messages, and phone calls the next day from anonymous people saying we know who that is."
Soon after, Waco Police and the McLennan County Sheriff's Office got involved and started an investigation into the burglary and a warrant was out for both of their arrests.
McLennan County Sheriff Parnel Mcnamara told 6 News the McLennan County fast track team and Waco Police pursued both Amber Castaneda and Steven Perez for four days before their arrest. He also shared they were both fleeing in Marlin, Waco, and other nearby cities.
Then on July 20, both alleged burglars were arrested in Marlin.
Kramer thanks everyone involved for working together to hold the suspects responsible.
"KCEN helping and the McLennan county mug shot page on Facebook," Kramer said. "Those two with Waco Police and the Sheriffs office is awesome. Getting these people off the street great thing for our community,"
Castaneda and Perez are currently in custody facing numerous charges.
Sheriff Parnell says the burglary is still an active investigation and more charges are expected to come for both Castaneda and Perez.
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