Men Charged With Burglary; One Was Allegedly An Armed Gang Member

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Two Santa Cruz men were arrested early Friday morning after the Santa Cruz Police Department responded to reports of car burglaries in the 80 block of Chestnut Street. Police said they later determined one of the men charged with the burglaries, Sergio Alvarez-Lopez, 23, is a Westside Chico gang member who was carrying a semi-automatic loaded handgun.

Alvarez-Lopez was arrested on suspicion of four felonies related to burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, carrying a concealed weapon while in a street gang and carrying a loaded firearm as a gang member, jail records show. Raul Camacho, 22, was arrested on suspicion of three felonies related to burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime and assault with a deadly weapon, jail records show.

Police received word of the burglaries around 2 a.m. Friday when a witness reported seeing two men breaking car windows and looking inside, spokesperson Joyce Blaschke wrote. Officers set up a perimeter and approached on foot.

Alvarez-Lopez and Camacho eventually realized officers were closing in and ran, police said. An officer saw a gun in Camacho's waistband and detained him, police said. Officers later determined it was a metal replica .45 caliber handgun without a firing pin.

Alvarez-Lopez continued to run and crouched near a bush. Police ordered him to come out, at gunpoint, police said.

Officers determined he tossed a handgun before being detained, police said.

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