$10K bail set for man tied to three theft cases

The Superior Court imposed yesterday a $10,000 cash bail on a man who is suspected of breaking into a Susupe house last Friday and being involved in two other theft incidents.

Martin T. Jr. Castro, 34, was arrested for burglary and theft last Friday after he was allegedly caught on surveillance camera breaking and entering a room at the Sunshine Garden in Susupe and taking a cell phone worth over $700.

Castro was also arrested for a burglary and theft report at Mo’s Restaurant in Susupe last Friday night, and a theft incident at a used car lot in San Antonio last Wednesday afternoon.

Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo sustained the bail amount at $10,000 as initially imposed by Superior Court Associate Judge Theresa Kim-Tenorio.

Govendo ordered Castro to return to court on Aug. 5 for a preliminary hearing and his arraignment on Aug. 12.

According to a declaration of probable cause, Castro was arrested in Chalan Piao at around 12am last Saturday for a reported burglary at the Sunshine Garden in Susupe after he was identified through surveillance footage. Police noted that Castro was arrested several times in the past for burglary and theft.

Last Friday, at around 9:57pm, DPS officer Iris Rangamar responded to a theft at the Sunshine Garden in Susupe. At the scene, Rangamar met with a male individual who identified himself as the victim in the case.

Martin Castro

The victim told Rangamar that he had left his cellphone in his room around 5pm that day and locked the room before leaving for dinner. He returned around 8pm and found his room door open and his Samsung cellphone worth $700 was stolen.

The victim immediately went to the front desk and asked to view the surveillance footage and to also contact 911.

Rangamar watched the surveillance footage with the victim and identified the suspect as Castro, having dealt with him several times in the past.

Castro was seen climbing through the victim’s sliding window and was later seen exiting through the victim’s front door at around 6:41pm.

Castro was located at 12:01am on Saturday at a gas station in Chalan Piao where he was arrested and brought to the Department of Corrections.

According to a Department of Public safety press release, officers later learned that Castro was also the suspect in a theft incident at Mo’s Restaurant. Officers reviewed the footage from the restaurant and noticed an individual, later identified as Castro, wearing a dark colored T-shirt and a pair of gray shorts, walk into the establishment, grab the tip jar, and quickly walk out.

Castro was also identified as the suspect in the theft that occurred in San Antonio two days earlier, July 24. The victim of the theft stated that his rose gold-colored Samsung S7 cellphone had been stolen from inside the shop.

Upon reviewing surveillance footage, the victim said he saw a male individual, later identified as Castro, wearing a dark T-shirt and a pair of gray shorts enter the shop at around 10:45am and leave three minutes later.