SAGUACHE COUNTY — A suspect has turned himself in after a warrant was issued in a burglary case under investigation by Undersheriff Jim McCloskey since spring of 2019.
Benjamin Velasquez, 48, of Center, surrendered to Saguache County Sheriff’s Office Jan. 13. He was charged with two counts of theft from $1,000 and $5,000 ranging up to $20,000.
On May 6, a Saguache County contractor notified the Saguache County Sheriff’s Office $10,120 of construction equipment had been stolen from his property. The bulk of the equipment taken was 113 cement forms. Other items included a vibratory plate packer, three corner sets and various metal rods and stakes.
A second burglary at the same location was reported to the Sheriff’s Office May 16. This time thieves took 20 round rods and two of three game cameras used to record the thefts. The theft victim also told Undersheriff McCloskey during this visit he believed he had located most of his stolen cement forms along Road B, behind a fenced-in area.
McCloskey obtained a search warrant for the property and the victim of the thefts identified 93 of the cement forms and two of the corner sets. The owner of the property, Dillon Velasquez, confirmed to McCloskey that his brother, Benjamin “Bengy” Velasquez had brought the forms to his property for storage within the same time as the burglary occurred and was driving a white truck, recorded on the theft victim’s remaining game camera in the second burglary.
As the result of questioning the owners of the property on County Road B, their relatives and those working for them, McCloskey was able to narrow down his suspect list to a specific person, Jesus Moreno, who also drove a white truck.
Moreno said his nephew Mario Ortega had borrowed his truck at precisely the time the two thefts being investigated were committed. He also said this nephew had shown him a game camera and asked his wife to sell it for him. Ortega confirmed he borrowed Moreno’s truck within that time frame.
McCloskey then received a tip from an inmate at the Saguache County Jail regarding thefts, burglaries and drugs. The inmate stated that Benjamin Velasquez of Center, also Jesus Moreno, had stolen the cement forms. He indicated he had helped unload the forms out of Moreno’s truck at the County Road B location but had not participated in the first burglary.