Milan homeowner helps nab burglar

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — It was a fateful day for 37-year-old Michael Giron, of 708 Peters Drive, Milan.

He was inside a residence in the 300 block of Balsam Street when the homeowner returned for lunch, Sgt. John Castaneda said.
Noticing that the screen on one of the windows was ajar on his house and hearing noise inside, the homeowner, called Grants Police.

When officers arrived, they saw Giron bust through the back door and run into a field behind the house, Castaneda said.
“It took about 20 seconds for our officers to take him into custody,” Castaneda said.

Giron had broken into the residence and had several large bags filled with a Dell laptop computer worth $1,200; a gold, glass clock, valued at $2,500; about $20 in change; a checkbook belonging to the victim; 26 DVDs and VHS movies valued at between $8-$10 each Castaneda said. He said police believe the robbery attempt was made in order to acquire items to possibly support a drug habit.

The homeowner told police when they arrived that his gate to his fence was open and pointed out the window. About this time, Officer Bill Marion stated in a police report filed in Cibola County Magistrate Court, that he saw an individual (later identified as Giron), looking out a window at police.
While waiting for backup officers to arrive, Marion saw Giron wearing a white jersey with the number “81” on it and dark shorts, climbing the chain-link fence after running out of the house, Magistrate Court records state.

Grants Police Sgt. Jason Fank, while responding to the call for assistance from Marion, was able to stop his patrol car next to Giron as he was running and take him into custody, Castaneda said.

Giron faces five days short of serving 11 and one-half years in state prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both if he is prosecuted and convicted of three felony and five misdemeanor charges.

Giron faces a preliminary hearing on July 29 in Magistrate Court from the incident, which took place on July 8. The charges against Giron are: Burglary of a dwelling, breaking and entering, tampering with evidence, all felonies; and two counts of possession of a controlled substance, fleeing from police, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal damage, all misdemeanors.

While Giron was being booked at Grants Police Department, Fank noticed his left fist was closed. When asked what was in Giron’s fist, he told Fank “just papers,” according to court records.

When Giron opened his fist at the officer’s instructions, Fank found two baggies of a white substance, which he believed to be methamphetamine and while searching Giron, Fank found a steel pipe and bundled marijuana on Giron, court records state.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.