Citizen’s Arrest Nabs Auto Burglar
Santa Barbara– Just after midnight on February 25th, a 911 Emergency call from a Westside Santa Barbara resident indicated that parked vehicles were being tampered with by a “suspicious subject”, according to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood.
Eduardo Murillo, 20
Just minutes later, four SBPD officers arrived on the scene, and were hailed by the individual who had made the 911 call. The citizen pointed off into the shadows, indicating where the subject was hiding behind a nearby parked car. Officer Kody Cardana approached the subject and attempted contact, but Eduardo Lazaro Murillo, 20, took off running. Fleet of foot, Murillo made good headway, but “tripped and fell to the ground”, as Harwood reported to the media.
Murillo was quickly taken into custody by multiple officers, was searched at the scene, and found to be in possession of methamphetamine paraphernalia as well as “an unused quantity of methamphetamine.” He was also found to be in possession of a gym bag that contained a number of items that had the appearance of being stolen property; when questioned by officers, Murillo admitted that he had stolen the items from several vehicles in the area, clearly making the decision to arrest him a foregone conclusion.
Because Murillo’s prowling and vehicle tampering had the appearance of being chargeable misdemeanors that had been committed out of the presence of responding officers, the reporting party agreed to make “a citizen’s arrest” for those crimes while SBPD Officers did their part by arresting him for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, as well as for possession of stolen property.
Murillo was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked on those multiple charges with bail set at $25,000.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
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