APD Officers Witness Bank Robbery while Following Auto Thieves
Feb. 15, 2023
ALBUQUERQUE – APD Auto Theft detectives were conducting undercover surveillance of a vehicle stolen from the car rental lot at the airport when they unexpectedly witnessed the suspect rob a bank in Albuquerque.
Detectives worked with other law enforcement to eventually arrest Sirsteven Mcgriff and Daniel Garcia after tracking them to Isleta Casino late Tuesday.
Officers’ with APD’s Aviation unit responded to reports of suspicious activity early Tuesday at the Albuquerque International Sunport rental lot. Officers discovered through surveillance video that a vehicle was stolen.
APD Auto theft detectives contacted Avis regional manager and with their assistance was able to provide a vehicle GPS location. Aviation officer worked along with auto theft and entered the listed vehicle as stolen. Detectives conducted surveillance on the vehicle for several hours throughout the day.
The vehicle was located but no longer display a license plate and was behind a business property fence. The vehicle eventually went mobile and officers with the Southeast Proactive Response Team came across the vehicle, which attempted a traffic stop for no license plate and the vehicle fled.
Detectives relocated the vehicle and conducted surveillance. The driver and occupants were observed driving to numerous banks in the Northeast Area Command. The driver and passenger were observed driving to a US Bank at 2300 Louisiana NE, where detectives observed the male passenger walking into the business holding a paper note and appeared to have a limp.
An APD detective recognized the suspect limp from an FBI meeting on Monday. The male was observed walking into the business and the driver of the stolen vehicle conducted a “heat run” in the neighborhood before returning back to the bank parking lot. The male was observed exiting the bank and entering the vehicle fleeing at a high rate of speed.
Detectives heard a call being dispatched to the US Bank with the suspect and vehicle description stating the male implied with a note taking cash. Auto theft detectives contacted FBI and additional APD detectives for assistance. APD’s K-9 unit was requested and responded to assist detectives.
Northeast field officers made contact with the bank and sent offender photos to auto theft detectives. The vehicle was tracked to 1301 Los Tomases, N.W. The stolen vehicle eventually went mobile from the residence but appeared to only be occupied by the driver. ISU and K-9 did surveillance at the residence, while detectives tracked the stolen vehicle to Isleta Casino where the vehicle was located unoccupied in the parking lot.
Detectives observed both the driver and passenger inside the casino floor. Isleta dispatch and Isleta Chief of police were contacted and provided additional resources for detectives. Isleta PD established a plan and contacted the males, detaining them for detectives. FBI agents and APD robbery on-call detective responded to conduct their investigation. The offenders admitted to the bank robbery and airport vehicle theft.
The driver was identified as Daniel Garcia and passenger Sirsteven Mcgriff. Garcia had three felony warrants for his arrest both auto theft and robbery warrants. Mcgriff was arrested for robbery. APD robbery took possession of the money found on their persons belonging to the bank. APD robbery will take case responsibility. This arrest was made as a collaborative effort from all teams involved.