Suspect in fitness center burglaries arrested in San Antonio
A man accused in a series of vehicle burglaries, mostly at fitness centers in North Texas, is in custody after his arrest near San Antonio.
Carlos J. Ramos, 40, of Waco is suspected of breaking into vehicles at a gym in Live Oak, just northeast of San Antonio, where he was arrested March 31. Detectives said they believe Ramos was involved in more than 20 vehicle burglaries in North Texas since September.
He is accused of targeting female customers who left their purses in their cars at fitness centers and using the stolen credit cards before the accounts could be closed.
Ramos was arrested in Live Oak shortly after three vehicle break-ins at a Gold’s Gym.
“A credit card stolen in one of those burglaries was used at a Home Depot and we were alerted,” Live Oak police Lt. Matt Malone said Wednesday. “We had a vehicle description, and an officer made a traffic stop on him.”
Live Oak police plan to file at least two vehicle burglary charges, Malone said.
In the past few weeks, police in North Texas had identified a possible suspect in the local burglaries. When they were alerted to the arrest, detectives from Southlake, Flower Mound and Waco traveled to San Antonio and interviewed Ramos.
Detectives said they believe Ramos is responsible for seven burglary and credit card abuse cases in Southlake, seven in Flower Mound and at least three in Waco.
Ramos is also a suspect in burglary cases in Grapevine, Euless, Arlington, Plano and Highland Village.
Fitness centers in Colleyville and Westworth Village were also hit by a man fitting the description of the suspect in the other cases.
The same suspect is also believed to be responsible for breaking into Cana Baptist Church in Burleson, stealing credit cards and using them at nearby businesses Jan. 10.
Ramos was in the Bexar County Jail in San Antonio on Wednesday, with bail set at $28,000.
Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763
Twitter: @mingoramirezjr
This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Suspect in fitness center burglaries arrested in San Antonio."