La Feria Officers Arrest Three in Texas Trader Burglary

Three area men were arrested last week by La Feria police officers and have been charged with 11 counts of burglary in association with the June 3 break-in reported at Texas Trader RV Sales located at 600 West Expressway 83 in La Feria, according to LFPD Chief Donato Garcia.
Erick Valdez (19), Dakota Ruiz (19) and Arturo Banda have been remanded to the Cameron County Jail awaiting their court date. Police are still searching for the suspect’s accomplices.

According to Investigating Officer Eliza Mendez, the entry to the building was made from the east side garage door which had been opened with a pressure jack. Employees reported eleven motor homes had been broken into and damaged. Items missing from the sales office and the motor homes included: a hand gun (which has been recovered), knives, computers, televisions and a safe that was dumped near the business after the suspects decided it was too heavy. Officers have already recovered most of the stolen property, some found near the business and some around town.

“These suspects caused lots of destruction and we suspect it was an inside job. We have turned the case over to the Cameron County District Attorney,” added the chief.

In the incident report conducted by Officer Eliza Mendez she states that a Texas Trader employee had spoken to his brother in reference to the burglary. The brother stated he bought a knife from Erick Valdez recently and Texas Trader owner Mark Mullin identified the knife as one from the burglary.

The employee also advised the officer that his brother stated that Erick Valdez and Dakota Ruiz went by their residence and attempted to leave the stolen items at his residence and overheard the men say they stashed the items at an abandoned house in La Feria. Officer Mendez also stated that two televisions were pawned in Harlingen that were from the motor homes in question.

Anyone with any information on this case may contact the La Feria PD at 797-3121.

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