June 22, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
A man responsible for the theft of a vehicle from a car lot, a radio from another automobile, a license tag, and several items from Wal-mart appeared in criminal court for sentencing Tuesday.
41 year old Benjamin Roberto Garcia entered a plea by criminal information to burglary of an automobile and theft over $2,500. He received a two year sentence for the burglary and four years for the theft to run concurrently for a total of four years. He will be on TDOC probation. Garcia must make restitution of $1,100 to one victim and $750 to another. He was given jail credit of 99 days.
According to Smithville Police, a report was filed on February 19 that someone had broken into an automobile at Davis Auto and stolen a radio causing damage to the vehicle. The following day another report was filed of someone having taken a 1994 Dodge Dakota from Auto Hut after breaking the lock and entering the gate of the car lot. During the investigation and after viewing surveillance video, police identified Garcia as a person of interest. After recovering the truck taken from Auto Hut, police checked the license plate on it through Central Dispatch and learned that the plate was stolen. Garcia found himself in more trouble after he was spotted on Sunday, March 11 shoplifting a pair of ear buds and a rugged speaker from Wal-mart. He was taken into custody on Tuesday, March 13.