An Organ man was arrested Thursday after Doña Ana County Sheriff’s detectives allege he stole a truck that had been left on the side of the road.
The owner of the 2007 Ford F250 had left the vehicle on U.S. 70 after it broke down on Dec. 13. When he went back to the truck, it was missing. His sister in-law tracked down a local towing company who said they towed it to the 16000 block of Sly Song Circle in Organ, east of Las Cruces.
An initial investigation determined that 30-year-old Harland Welsh hired a tow company to take the truck to his house, telling the company it was his. Detectives also allege Welsh illegally obtained entry to the truck and used a credit card that was inside to get gasoline at a local gas station, dismantled the radio from the dashboard and removed the radio along with personal effects that belonged to the victim.
Welsh, who is currently on parole for residential burglary, was released from an Oregon prison in May. He is currently at the Doña Ana County Detention Center where he is being held without bond for violating his parole.
Detectives are expected to file charges Friday that include fraud, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, fraudulent use of a credit card, burglary of a motor vehicle, criminal damage to property, larceny and injuring or tampering with a motor vehicle.
In a separate incident, Welsh’s wife attempted to elude deputies when they responded to the address on Sly Song Circle on Thursday. It was later learned that Yvette Torres, 40, had an outstanding warrant for her arrest for failure to comply with conditions of her probation. Torres was also arrested and transported to the Doña Ana County Detention Center where she is being held without bond.
Information from Doña Ana County