Several businesses and individuals have been hit by property crime this month, according to police.
Two men stole two paintings from Española Hospital Dec. 14, Española Police officer Gabe Gonzales said.
Witnesses saw the pair remove the paintings from the walls of the hospital lobby, and security was alerted, Gonzales said.
Both paintings were recovered later on Calle Sierra Vista, Gonzales said. Gonzales said perhaps the suspects intended to retrieve the paintings later.
“They were landscape paintings,” Gonzales said. “I think one of them had cactus.”
The suspects were described as being in their late 20s or early 30s. One had a black jacket with “03” written on the back, and the other walked with a limp, Gonzales said.
Española Senior Center has reported its big-screen TV was stolen in a break-in this month. A window to the building was shattered, allowing the burglar to reach in and open the window, Gonzales said.
“Unfortunately there are a lot of people that are looking for an easy way to get their Christmas presents,” State Police Capt. Daniel Lovato said. “Business owners need to be observant, be vigilant.”
This time of year, it’s important for homeowners to create the impression there are people at their home in order to deter break-ins and theft, Española Deputy Police Chief Larry Ham said.
Ham said people who are going to be out of town for the holidays can ask police to conduct courtesy patrols around their house periodically during the time they’ll be gone.
“If you see something suspicious or not right, don’t confront anybody,” Lovato said. “Make a note of license plates and vehicle descriptions because if something does come up that’s one of the first things the officers will want to know.”