Edinburg Police Arrest Four in 2 Separate Auto Theft Cases; Stolen Gun and Vehicle Recovered
Staff Report
EDINBURG TX – Edinburg police arrested four suspects in two unrelated auto theft cases over the weekend, recovering a stolen firearm and a Jeep Gladiator with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Combined Auto Theft Task Force and federal agencies.
In the first case, officers responded around 3:42 a.m. Sunday, April 20, to the area of Hill Country Drive and Pin Oak Street after receiving reports of suspicious individuals jumping a fence and running toward Bicentennial Park. Officers located two individuals matching the description, and one fled on foot. Police detained 18-year-old Daniel Reyna of Edinburg and arrested him for possession of a controlled substance (Xanax) following a brief interview.
Shortly after, police received a report of a vehicle burglary in the same neighborhood. At 7:23 a.m., a second vehicle burglary was reported nearby, with the victim reporting the theft of a handgun and approximately $2,000 in cash.
Investigators, working with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Combined Auto Theft Task Force, identified a second suspect, 17-year-old Angel Lopez of Edinburg. Lopez was later taken into custody at an apartment on the 1800 block of W. Samano. A consented search of the residence led to the recovery of the stolen firearm.
Both Reyna and Lopez face charges of burglary of a vehicle and theft of a firearm. Reyna also faces an additional charge of possession of a controlled substance.
In a separate incident that same morning, police responded at approximately 7:20 a.m. to the 2400 block of Moonlight Lane after a woman reported her 2024 black Jeep Gladiator had been stolen. The victim, who was alerted by a call from her sister, used her vehicle’s mobile app to track it to the Progreso Port of Entry.
Authorities confirmed that the Mexican military had flagged the vehicle after it crossed into Mexico and notified U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Jeep was intercepted upon re-entry into the U.S. at around 4:55 a.m. Two female suspects—22-year-old Yadhira Berenice Rodriguez and 18-year-old Ruby Zapata, both of Edinburg—were detained and later charged with auto theft.
The victim was transported by Edinburg officers to the port of entry to recover her vehicle.
“We’re incredibly thankful to our partners at the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Combined Auto Theft Task Force for their outstanding collaboration,” said Edinburg Police Chief Jaime Ayala. “Because of their teamwork and quick communication with federal agencies, we were able to recover the stolen vehicle and take two suspects into custody within hours.”
Both investigations remain ongoing.
Source – Edinburg Police Department