Published: July 07, 2009 11:25 am      

Credit card, copper pipe crimes eyed

San Marcos — San Marcos Police know where the stolen credit cards used by suspects at one of the city's outlet malls Sunday came from, but the origin of copper pipe found in the possession of a suspect in an unrelated case is still a mystery.

SMPD Commander Terry Nichols said credit cards allegedly used at Tanger Outlets by James Blakey and Johnny Mata, both 19, were in a vehicle that had been stolen in Martindale. The pair, arrested around 9:39 a.m. on Sunday, face five counts of credit card abuse plus fraudulent possession of the cards. The unrelated case occurred on Saturday, July 4. Nichols said an officer in the area of Hunter Road and Wonder World Drive just happened to see a man walking into the woods near a construction site carrying bolt cutters.

The suspect, later identified as San Antonio resident Fernando Salas, 35, had parked his pickup at the CVS pharmacy, and Nichols said a quantity of copper piping that is suspected stolen was found inside.

"Were trying to locate where this came from," Nichols said.

Anyone with information can call the SMPD's Criminal Investigations Division at 753-2300.

--Information from staff reports