Police catch would-be robbers with their own getaway car

EDINBURG — Police caught a couple of would-be robbers using the duo’s own getaway car Friday morning, officials said.

A group of four males broke into a home on the 1500 block of Sevilla Boulevard about 10 a.m., waking the home’s lone inhabitant, Edinburg Police Chief Quirino Muñoz said. The 25-year-old victim told police she spotted the intruders and ran into a closet to dial 9-1-1 but managed to catch a glimpse of them fleeing from the house.

The group likely thought the home was empty, Muñoz said.

Two of the criminals fled on foot and another two sped away in what appeared to be a red Volkswagen Jetta, the woman told police. Officers caught up with a vehicle matching that description and arrested its passengers, a 19-year-old man from Pharr and a 16-year-old boy from San Juan.

Unable to find the remaining criminals, officers got in the getaway car and drove around the block to try to draw them out of hiding. Police honked the car’s horn, and the duo emerged from their hiding spot.

“They jumped out from behind a fence,” the chief said with a chuckle. “They came running.”

The two suspects who fled on foot are ages 16 and 18 and are both from San Juan. Officials refused to fully identify the adult suspects until they are formally charged. They will likely be arraigned today on burglary charges.

The group apparently did not take anything from the home and the victim was not harmed during the incident.

“They didn’t take any belongings or valuables,” Muñoz said. “They had just started collecting items outside in the patio.”

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.