Burglars hit mayor’s residence

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — Mayor Harry Mendoza reported that someone broke into his Bluewater residence through a back door Friday night, but stole nothing while inside.

Mendoza reported the break-in at about 8 p.m. at 4 Lucero Lane. Investigator Matt Hughbanks, of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department, said Mendoza most likely surprised the invaders when he arrived at the residence and caused them to flee the house without taking anything.

Deputies found a pair of shoe prints leading from the residence to nearby New Mexico Highway 602, but were unable to find any suspects in the case. No unfamiliar vehicle tracks were located at the scene.

The would-be thieves reportedly rifled through the residence’s cabinets, closets and dresser drawers before they were interrupted by Mendoza’s arrival.

“Other than that, it was pretty gentle,” Hughbanks said of the break-in.

After Mendoza walked into the partially disheveled residence, he went looking for the intruders.

“During my contact and interview with Harry Mendoza, he told me that he and his wife had recently arrived and found the door open with the window broken. He told me that he and his wife had touched nearly all of the door knobs and drawers prior to my arrival. He told me that when he arrived, he got one of the rifles off the floor, loaded it, and went looking for any intruders. He also told me that some of the lights were on in the house and that nothing was taken from the residence,” Deputy Robert Turney wrote in police report that was released Monday morning about the incident.

Hughbanks said the break-in was most likely a random incident and the intruders did not target Mendoza because of his position as mayor. Mendoza was out of the office Monday and was not immediately available for comment, according to staff at city hall.

Hughbanks said several residential burglaries have been reported in the Bluewater area in recent weeks.

Anyone with information about the break-in is asked to call the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department and ask for investigations at (505) 722-7205.