Clifton police have a suspected burglar in custody thanks to cooperation from the Greenlee County Sheriff's Office. Fred Romero, 18, Clifton, was apprehended by Sheriff Richard McCluskey on Tuesday, March 9. Romero is charged with two counts of second degree burglary and two counts of theft. The charges are Class 3 and Class 6 felonies, respectively.

Clifton Police chief Herman Nixon said McCluskey was aware police wanted Romero in connection with two burglaries on Shannon Hill. Romero ran from police while they were searching his van and had evaded capture until he was apprehended by McCluskey. Nixon said the sheriff spotted Romero in a vehicle traveling on the horseshoe curve on U.S. Hwy. 191 between Clifton and Morenci. McCluskey stopped the vehicle and apprehended the suspect.

Nixon said Romero was interviewed at police headquarters and admitted he burglarized two homes on Shannon Hill. He was later booked into the Greenlee County Jail. Clifton police officers Spencer Preston and Manuel Gonzalez responded to two successive burglary calls on Shannon Hill on March 2. While investigating the burglaries the officers were able to identify Romero as a suspect. The officers went to Romero's residence and obtained permission to search the house but did not find any of the items reported taken from the victims' homes. Romero gave the officers permission to search a van he was known to drive.

Gonzalez and Preston found items fitting the description of the stolen goods in the van. As the officers were searching the van, Romero fled on foot. Preston and Gonzalez searched the area but did not find the suspect. Officer Tammy Powell saw Romero on March 4, but he succeeded in eluding her.

Nixon said DVDs and other items taken from the burglarized homes were recovered. A Play Station 2 and accompanying games have not yet been recovered. Nixon said Romero apparently sold them.

"As I said before, this was good police work by two veteran officers who didn't give up," Nixon said. He added, " It was the good eye of the sheriff who identified him and picked him up. That was a good job on his part. We certainly are grateful to Sheriff McCluskey."