Copperas Cove man arrested after months of construction site thefts
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
A Copperas Cove man was arrested on March 16 on three warrants, one for theft of property $750-$2,000, and two warrants for theft of property $2,500 - $30,000.
Roberto Olvera Lucio was arrested for his connection to three reported thefts on Wigeon Way, Montell Street, and Castroville Trail.
According to the arrest affidavits, the Copperas Cove Police Department has had multiple reported thefts in two new subdivisions. Property stolen included a variety of different woods, windows, and other homebuilding supplies.
On Nov. 29, a Dewald employee arrived at a construction site and saw a white utility van parked int eh driveway of an unfinished residence in the 1900 block of Castroville. The employee said the van immediately left the area. Afterward, 20 sheets of OSB plywood was reported to be stolen.
Then on February 22, an employee with D.R. Horton Homes likewise reported a theft, this of multiple windows stolen from an unfinished residence in the 3100 block of Wigeon Way. This time, a white Ford F350 van with tinted windows was identified on video surveillance. Officers then used the van’s description as they conducted searches of construction sites.
On March 3, a Copperas Cove police officer was conducting an open site search of a construction site in the 1700 block of Montell Street. He observed a white Ford 350 van and was able to get the license plate number for the vehicle, which was unoccupied. The van contained a large amount of plywood in the back. In addition to the wood, officers found two cell phones in the vehicle along with a piece of mail addressed to Lucio. Two cases were generated for this report.
After the area was canvassed, the van was impounded. A receipt in the van for the Shell Station on North 1st Street was located, with the date of February 27.
The investigation then led officers to the Shell station, where they were able to observe the video footage from that transaction, and officers confirmed Lucio as the driver of the van on that day. Officers were able to determine Lucio’s home address in Copperas Cove. Also, the children seen in a lock screen photo on one of the cell phones were also confirmed to be Lucio’s children by a CCISD campus resource officer.
“Due to the multiple items located in the van belonging to Roberto and the video showing Roberto operating the van alone just three days prior to the day of impoundment, I believe Roberto was in control of the van when it was located in the 1700 block of Montell St.,” stated the arresting officer.
Two of the stolen property charges, to include plywood and hardy board, were valued at Least $2,500 but under $30,000, was stolen from Killeen Freedom Homes and from James Clark; the third charge for theft of property $750 to $2,500 was varying models of residential windows, stolen from D.R. Horton Homes.